NRM’s Kahima Wins Ruhaama Seat, Beats Main Rival by 47%

NRM’s candidate, Moses Kahima Mugabe has been elected the new Ruhaama constituency MP-elect. In the polls that were conducted on Thursday, Kahima beat his strongest rival by 47% in was described by observers as a largely peaceful election.

Kahima garnered 31,102 votes out of the total 50,073 ballots cast beating his strongest contender, Eng Jackson Mubangizi (Independent) polled 16,345 votes, with a margin of 14,757 votes (47%).

The other two candidates, Dr Peninah Beinomugisha and Vastine Orishaba, both Independents got 2,103 votes and 523 votes respectively. A total of 116,883 people were registered as eligible to vote in Ruhaama.

Kahima secured a 62% victory of the total ballots cast and was declared the winner at 11:30 pm by the Ntungamo district Returning Officer, Robert Beine.

The polling process is reported to have been generally calm and peaceful, but with a low voter turn up.

Citizens Coalition for Electoral Democracy – Uganda (CCEDU) which is part of the observers attributed the low turn up to the lack of confidence by some electorate in the electoral process and fatigue.

There were also reports of ballot stuffing at Nyakibaare, Kyamwasha and Mushunga polling stations where a number of ticked ballot papers in the box did not tally with the number of ticked ballots in the register.

CCEDU said that at some polling stations, voting which was supposed to begin at 6am was delayed to until as late as 8:07 am due to late delivery of polling materials.