A number of NRM flag bearers on various political positions in Hoima City have been defeated by the opposition and independents in the general election.
On the position of the City Woman Member of Parliament NRM flag bearer Princess Diana Jane Mugenyi was triumphed by the incumbent Asinansi Nyakato of PFF with 17142 votes while Mugenyi had 15197 votes.
In the Position of the Hoima West City Division MP Donald Bategeka the NRM flag bearer lost the election to Ismail Kasule of ANT who scored 9102 votes while Bategeteka received 5855 votes.
In Hoima East City Division MP seat Dr. Patrick Mwesigwa Isingoma Obama an Independent Candidate won Jonah Wamani Byakutaga the NRM flag bearer with 10688 votes while Byakutaga gained 2675 votes.
Meanwhile, in the position of the Hoima City Mayor Brian Kaboyo the NRM flag bearer who is also the incumbent was defeated by Edward Isingoma the Hoima City Council Speaker who stood as an independent candidate. Isingoma secured 11709 votes however Kaboyo acquired 9252 votes.
However, in Hoima West City Division Mayoral seat Julius Kyomuhendo Bahemuka Independent emerged victorious after getting the highest number of votes. Kyomuhendo acquired 5955 votes while NRM’s Robert Kyomuhendo Ruhiigwa earned 3952 votes.
Bosco Muhanuzi is the only NRM flag bearer who managed to win the election for the position of the Hoima East City Division Mayor with 4958 votes beating Ali Babi an Independent candidate who attained 4177 votes.
The opposition also obtained seats of ward councilors to the Division in the two Divisions of Hoima City.
In Hoima West City Division, Western ward male Counselor to Hoima West Division John Balijura of PFF defeated Karoli Abigaba the NRM flag bearer, Susan Atuhura of PFF ejected NRM’s Sarah Balikenda the incumbent female councilor representing Western Ward to the Division and in Kibingo Ward Vincent Makerere the NRM flag bearer was trounced by Ivan Murungi of PFF.
In the Northern Ward, Hoima East Division Abu Busobozi the NRM Flag bearer was beaten by NUP’s Hanington Kasasa to represent the ward to the Hoima East Division.
We have talked to different people to get their views about what could have caused the NRM flag bearers to lose the election in Hoima City.
Israel Maniraguha the National Resistance Movement Party Vice Chairperson for Hoima East City Division says the party performed well on the position of the President but for other offices the will of the people was not in favor of the party but as a party they did their part under the guidance of the NRM secretariat and the teams were on ground mobilizing for the party.
Maniraguha explains that, the failure of the party in the City cannot be contributed to any person or the weakness of the party but it is surrounded by many factors that include urbanization, the will of the people to decide on which leader to vote for, but they believe that people in Hoima City hold the true ideology of the party which they extended to every village stating that this is why they voted for the President and voted otherwise for the NRM flag bearers.
Brian Kaboyo, the NRM flag bearer for the Hoima City Mayoral seat who is also the incumbent discloses that he was very popular on ground until after the Presidential elections where people got in accusations just to disfavor him that NRM was involved in cheating the incumbent woman opposition member of Parliament which I could not involve himself in and does not act for NRM or the individuals who took the decision. He noted that all this was trying to portray and discredit him such that his election can be affected.
Bosco Muhanuzi the Hoima East City Division Mayor who retained his seat on the NRM ticket narrates that NRM performed badly but the leaders who were in office in 2021 mostly the MPs like Asinansi Nyakato and Dr. Patrick Mwesigwa Isingoma Obama were voted back but the voters also voted massively for the President noting that it is on personal basis that some leaders have lost when they have the flag of NRM but God has saved some of them.
Francis Isingoma Kadogo a voter from Hoima City says that majority of the voters in the City are the youths who are yearning for change hoping to become rich and also get jobs.
