TOP NATIONAL STORY: NRM CRISIS ERUPTS IN NTUNGAMO AS FIRST LADY URGED TO INTERVENE
Youth Protest Fraudulent Nullification of Aryatuha’s Victory Amid Mounting Pressure on Janet Museveni
Ntungamo, Uganda — A political storm is brewing in Ntungamo District, the home of First Lady Janet Museveni, as angry National Resistance Movement (NRM) members and youth demand her urgent intervention over what they are calling the fraudulent nullification of David Aryatuha’s victory in the Nyamukana Town Council LC5 Councillor primaries.
At the center of the controversy is Maria Mirembe, the Ntungamo District NRM Registrar, who stands accused of unilaterally revoking Aryatuha’s win and attempting to install his rival, Amos Natuhwera, as the winner — despite official results showing otherwise.
Aryatuha, a popular youth candidate, won the party primaries by 1,284 votes against Natuhwera’s 1,265, and was initially declared winner and issued a declaration form. However, just two weeks later, Mirembe reportedly ordered him to return the certificate, triggering accusations of corruption and backroom deals.
Supporters claim that cash handouts were used in Kitsyama Village to pressure locals into changing their statements, a move seen as part of a wider plot to alter the election outcome.
“This is theft in broad daylight,” said Nathan Muhangwa, 71, during a peaceful protest organized outside the NRM offices in Ntungamo Municipality. “How do you overturn results from a lining-up vote? This is how people lose faith in the party.”
The demonstration ended in a police crackdown that reportedly led to the arrest of at least 30 protestors, with some accusing Mirembe of ordering the arrests herself. The optics of the incident have embarrassed the party, especially since it unfolded in a district chaired by Janet Museveni, both First Lady and NRM District Chairperson.
The protesters are now appealing directly to the First Lady to step in, not only to reverse the decision but also to restore public confidence in the party’s internal election processes.
Mirembe Under Fire Again as NRM Tribunal Orders Fresh Elections
This latest crisis comes on the heels of yet another blow to Registrar Mirembe’s credibility. The NRM Electoral Tribunal recently nullified the Ntungamo Municipality MP primary results that declared Yona Musinguzi winner, citing widespread electoral fraud and violence.
The tribunal, acting on petitions filed by Philip Ankwaasa, Edward Beyendeza, Michael Katureebe, and Eric Nuwagira Kacafu, found that Mirembe allowed unverified voters to cast ballots and failed to include results from seven polling stations, effectively disenfranchising nearly 10,000 voters.
Video evidence presented also showed acts of violence and even the abduction of a rival agent, John Sempiija, by Musinguzi’s supporters. The tribunal ordered fresh elections in affected areas, including Cell 8.
A Test for the First Lady’s Leadership
With mounting public pressure and a series of high-profile controversies under Mirembe’s leadership, NRM loyalists are turning to Janet Museveni for answers.
As both First Lady and the district’s top NRM official, her response — or lack thereof — could have far-reaching consequences for the party’s reputation in Ntungamo and the wider Ankole region, a traditional NRM stronghold.
Whether she will act decisively to resolve the crisis and hold local party officials accountable remains to be seen — but the clock is ticking.
This is a developing story.
