A candidate in Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries has dismissed the official results for the Ntungamo District Chairperson race, alleging widespread electoral malpractice and announcing plans to contest the 2026 general elections as an independent.
John Kabeho, who was announced runner-up in Thursday’s party primaries, claimed that the final vote count was manipulated under the influence of high-level government officials to favor the incumbent, Sam Mucunguzi.
Addressing the media on Saturday at his home in Kigongi village, western Uganda, Kabeho said, “My team and I reject the results declared by the NRM electoral commission. It was clear I had won until late in the night when everything changed.”
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Official results show Mucunguzi received 50,913 votes (39%), followed by Kabeho with 44,129 (34%). Other candidates, Naboth Mpireirwe and Samuel Mwesigye, garnered 33,212 (24%) and 2,969 (2%) votes, respectively.
Kabeho alleged interference by civil servants and security operatives, including members of the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), the police, and other local government officials. He claimed these actors played a role in altering vote tallies at the district tally center.
“They deployed all means to suppress the will of the people,” Kabeho said. “The tallying process was compromised, and I refuse to legitimize such injustice.”
Despite his grievances, Kabeho stressed that he still identifies with the ruling party but intends to run independently as a form of protest. “I have served the NRM diligently. But I will not condone electoral theft,” he stated.
His campaign team maintained that Kabeho’s decision is not a defection from the party but an assertion of democratic rights.
“He’s not switching allegiance,” said campaign agent Kana Rwamutemba. “He remains NRM, but we are tired of repeated manipulation.”
Kabeho also pointed to social class as a factor in his alleged defeat, saying his humble background had made him a target for discrimination.
Third-place contender Naboth Mpireirwe supported Kabeho’s allegations, stating that the declared outcome does not reflect the electorate’s true choice. “I am still consulting before deciding my next steps,” he said.
Controversy has plagued previous NRM primaries in the region. In 2021, a similar dispute in Rushenyi County saw Naome Kabasharira run as an independent and ultimately defeat then Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana in the general election.
This year’s primaries have added further tension, with results in three Ntungamo parliamentary constituencies—Ntungamo Municipality, Kajara, and Ruhaama—yet to be officially declared due to ongoing disputes.
Kabeho said he would not file a petition with the party’s elections tribunal, citing a lack of confidence in its independence. “The same forces behind this fraud may influence the tribunal too,” he remarked.
As of Sunday, the NRM electoral commission had not issued a response to the allegations.
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