Will FDC win Rukungiri again?

ELECTIONS 2021

For the first time the opposition Forum for Democratic Change, (FDC) won  Rukungiri district in the 2016 presidential elections.  

Kiiza Besigye of FDC got 58,883 votes representing 50.40% compared to NRM's Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who got 56,425 votes representing 48.29%.

This was the first time Kiiza Besigye was leading in his home district of Rukungiri where NRM used to enjoy the highest percentage of votes.

It's not clear if FDC will win Rukungiri again without Col. Dr. Kiiza Besigye on the ballot paper.

The FDC presidential candidate Patrick Oboi Amuriat is combing for support in Rukungiri district after spending a night in Kanungu district.

However, the mood in Rukungiri town does not show that there is a strong candidate coming into the district as it used to be during Kiiza Besigye's time.

George Byarugaba, a resident of Rukungiri town said FDC without Besigye in Rukungiri will not yield much.

"We used to be excited for the coming of Besigye because he has helped very many people in Rukungiri before and after opposing the government," he said.

Byarugaba said the voter turnout in Rukungiri will reduce tremendously in the 2021 election because very many people wanted to vote for Besigye.

Innocent Rubarondesa of FDC said the recent FDC primary elections will affect the performance of FDC in Rukungiri district.

He said almost every post had over three candidates and those who lost are still nursing the wounds of losing therefore they cannot mobilise for the party.

"Like in Rukungiri municipality the flag bearer is new and has not been in the system it's so hard to mobilise for the presidential candidate because he does not know where to start from," he said.

Rubarondesa added that the divisions in FDC remain high due to some FDC leaning independents who were not satisfied with the outcome of the party primaries.

Elly Tugume , an FDC supporter said FDC in Rukungiri has missed two big mobilisers on the ballot paper, Kiiza Besigye and Rolland Mugume Kaginda.

"The NRM will increase its support in Rukungiri because two great FDC mobilisers are no longer on the ballot paper," he said.