Rwampara Electoral Standoff: RDC Blocks MP Declarations Amid Woman MP Flag Bearer Crisis

A heated political stalemate has erupted in Rwampara District, western Uganda, following disputed results from the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) primaries for the Woman Member of Parliament flag bearer.

The Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Harriett Nakamya, has intervened to prevent the transfer and gazetting of original Declaration of Results (DR) forms for all winning parliamentary candidates until the party’s electoral commission chairman, Dr Tanga Odoi, officially certifies the rightful winner of the contentious Woman MP race.

The RDC argues that, as head of security, she has identified a risk of bloodshed if the rightful winner is not declared.

The controversy began on 18 July, when District Registrar Jackson Mutaahi prematurely declared incumbent MP Molly Matsiko Asiimwe as the NRM flag bearer, despite protests from her rival, Annah Kansiime—a vocal grassroots candidate popular across the constituency.

Tensions flared as Kansiime, while attending the announcement of the final winner at the district headquarters, demanded a vote recount. “We shall not leave this room until justice and fairness prevail. Whatever happens will happen. We cannot accept this robbery again,” she stated.

Security forces moved in to contain the unrest, but Kansiime held her ground, insisting the results had been manipulated. RDC Nakamya ordered an immediate vote recount. The revised tally showed Kansiime had polled 26,347 votes, beating Asiimwe’s 20,364.

Registrar Mutaahi reversed his earlier declaration and handed Kansiime the DR form—though not before being arrested on charges related to vote tampering. “They announced someone who had fewer votes, and we were all shocked,” said Nakamya. “I was forced to intervene because we had credible reports that the entire district was going to erupt in chaos and bloodshed,” she added.

Later, the RDC ordered the arrest of Mutaahi and three data entrants—Collins Nabaasa, Bright Namaziima, and Twinomujuni Simon—on charges of impersonation and forgery. The group allegedly attempted to alter declaration form results in favour of incumbent Woman MP Molly Asiimwe, under instructions from Christine Namakula, the NRM regional overseer for registrars in Ankole.

However, the crisis has deepened with reports of clandestine meetings allegedly involving Ms Asiimwe and NRM officials at Las Vegas Hotel in Mbarara. Kansiime claims these gatherings aim to overturn her win through political influence.

Meanwhile, the RDC took decisive action: she confronted Dr Tanga Odoi by phone and confirmed the recount outcome, then directed the registrar to formally acknowledge his earlier error in writing—stating he had issued the first DR form “without duress” and under misdirection.

As part of due diligence, the RDC has blocked the gazetting of all DR forms for Rwampara MPs, insisting the originals remain in police custody until photocopies are stamped and certified as true records. Once the photocopies are certified by NRM electoral officials, the originals can then be transported to the NRM Electoral Commission offices for gazetting.

Mutaahi, currently out on bail, has reportedly refused to validate the copies. If he fails to comply, Odoi will be expected to send another registrar to certify the results.

“We have the photocopies. The originals are exhibits under police care,” said a district official.

“Once they are certified, the originals can be submitted to Kampala—but not before the Woman MP declaration is resolved,” RDC Nakamya insisted before the press.

Amid fears that Kansiime’s supporters might retaliate against Asiimwe if she is declared, the latter reportedly requested security reinforcement last night, claiming her home was under threat. The district security apparatus allegedly refused, insisting the rightful winner is already known to be Ms Kansiime.

The Rwampara standoff highlights the tension between grassroots political will and entrenched institutional influence. With the registrar facing multiple charges and allegations of post-election interference still circulating, many view the crisis as emblematic of broader issues within Uganda’s electoral system.

As the NRM primary season continues until 24 July, stakeholders are watching closely to see how the party resolves the deadlock—and whether justice will prevail in a race where every vote clearly mattered.

Writing on social media, one John Kateeba offered an incisive take on the just-concluded primaries, suggesting ways to improve internal democracy in the NRM:

The recently concluded NRM party primaries have left many Ugandans—both within and outside the party—deeply concerned about the state of internal democracy, fairness, and integrity in our electoral processes.

Alarming reports continue to emerge from various districts, including Rwampara, Isingiro, Ntungamo (Ruhama, Kajara, and Ntungamo Municipality), Rubabo in Rukungiri, Rubanda, Sembabule, and many others. These accounts speak of violence and vandalism of property, vote-buying as a common tool of influence, cheating and manipulation of election results, external interference, delayed declaration of results, and selective disqualification of popular candidates. Even the open voting method—lining up behind candidates—still fails to produce credible tallies.

These incidents are not just internal party matters; they send a strong and worrying signal about what could happen in the forthcoming general elections. If internal elections are marred by such widespread irregularities, what precedent are we setting for the national process? What lessons are we teaching our youth and future leaders?

In one widely circulated video, voters are seen receiving cash, believed to be 5,000 shillings, immediately after casting their vote. The distribution was openly supervised by supporters of a candidate and conducted in the local Rukiga language, in what appeared to be an incident in Rukiga District. Every individual who left the voting line was handed money, turning the entire exercise into a transactional event rather than a democratic process. If such practices are normalised, they risk eroding the very foundation of free and fair elections.

In light of the above, we must urgently consider the following recommendations going forward. First, Uganda needs a non-partisan review and overhaul of the electoral system to restore public trust and fairness, starting with how political parties conduct their internal elections. Secondly, secret ballot voting should be reinstated even in party primaries to protect voter choice, reduce intimidation, and improve transparency. Political parties must also allow their primaries to be supervised by credible independent bodies, or at least use biometric or transparent tallying systems.

There must be clear and enforceable regulations around campaign financing. We need to define strict limits on campaign spending and criminalise open vote-buying, which undermines democracy. Civic education is equally crucial. Citizens must understand that elections are not a business transaction but a civic responsibility that shapes the destiny of our nation.

Finally, leadership by example is key. As the ruling party, NRM must uphold democratic principles and conduct elections in a manner that reflects integrity and inclusivity. Internal party conduct sets the tone for national elections, and all political entities are watching and likely to emulate what they observe.

Let us raise our voices—not out of bitterness, but out of a shared hope for a better Uganda. We owe it to the next generation to safeguard our democracy with integrity, transparency, and accountability.