Last Updated 53 minutes ago by tnd News, Uganda
Kikuube | The National Resistance Movement (NRM) secretariat has kicked off a campaign for its flag bearer, Paddy Kisembo, amid legal battle in the Kikuube district LC5 by-election.
Dr Rosemary Nansubuga Sseninde, NRM’s Director of Mobilisation, on Friday held a meeting with Kikuube district NRM leadership to develop a strategy for how their flag bearer, Kisembo, would win the Kikuube district LCV by-election scheduled for Thursday June, 18, 2026.
Philip Mbabazi Burnet, son of General Matayo Kyaligonza, earlier elected the party flag bearer, filed a petition to the Electoral Commission seeking cancellation of Kisembo and Tinkamanyire Fenekansi of the National Unity Platform’s (NUP) nominations to the by-election race.
Burnet was not nominated to participate in the by-election on account of failing to provide matching academic qualifications to the EC, thus making him lose the flag to Kisembo, who had come as an independent candidate after the ruling party primaries.
In a petition dated June 2, 2026, through Okello Oryem & Co. Advocates, Mbabazi claims that the two failed to meet nomination requirements, further alleging that the candidates did not submit lists containing the names of at least 50 registered voters from each sub-county of at least two-thirds of the electoral area, as required by law.
The electoral commission announced that it will make the ruling on the issue on Wednesday.
Mbabazi scored 23,279 votes while Paddy Kisembo got 16,459 votes, Dickson Tushabe obtained 343 votes, and Valentino Rubasharaza attained 81 votes in the NRM primary elections.
Dr Nansubuga said since the electoral commission has not halted the election, as the NRM party, they have nothing stopping them from campaigning for their candidate.
“As a party, we do not expect the electoral commission to make mistakes…. during the nomination, the commission followed the law,” she said.
“…we had challenges with our flag bearer, and because of that, it was resolved by the party, and we have a candidate. Yes, I know some people who petitioned the EC. We are very aware that the EC will be able to decide on Wednesday, but that does not stop us from campaigning because the EC has not halted these campaigns,” she said at a campaign rally.
Sseninde noted that as a party, they need their candidate to win by 50,000 votes and called on NRM leaders, including the district executive committee and the district security committee, to do everything possible to see that the flag bearer wins.
“We have come here to meet the NRM leaders to plan and organise ourselves and see how the campaign is going to be conducted. Our campaign is going to be grassroots-based; the people of Kikuube are going to lead their own campaign.”
Kikuube RDC Godwine Agalia commended the party secretariat for the clarification, saying there has been a lot of confusion as to why the group of Mbabazi Burnet has been misleading the public about the election.
He also warned the supporters of Paddy Kisembo against ridiculing Mbabazi Burnet’s group, saying that such an act may result in violence and disrupt the election.
The scheduled Kikuube LC5 by-election will follow the death of chairperson, Peter Banura, in a car crash on April 4, 2026.
Banura, the son of Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Matayo Kyaligonza was hit by a fast-moving taxi in Butyamba-Kamusunsi village, Kiziranfumbi town council, on the Hoima-Fort Portal highway.
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