Winners and Losers in the Hotly Contested NRM CEC Elections

The two day NRM national delegates conference on Thursday ended successfully with the voting of the top Party leaders who will sit in the Central Executive Committee (CEC).

CEC is the NRM Party’s top decision making organ and comprises of 9 top leaders headed by the Party chairperson. In the Thursday elections that took place at zonal levels in regional districts, Party chairperson, Yoweri Museveni and first vice national chairperson Moses Kigongo retained their seats unopposed. The remaining 7 CEC positions attracted stiff competition from 26 candidates.

According to the official results released at about 3am on Friday, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga retained her seat as 2nd vice national chairperson (female) with 6,776 votes beating her close rival Persis Namuganza (State minister for Lands) by about 3,000 votes.

In the regional vice chairpersons, only Capt Mike Mukula and Simon Aleper retained their seats as NRM vice chairperson, Eastern and NRM vice chairperson, Karamoja respectively as other incumbents lost their seats to new entrants in the race. By press time, Mukula had garnered 5,818, while his closest rival Sanjay Tanna trailed with 4162 as Christine Harriet Akello got only 162. Whereas results from about 20 districts had not been computed, it is unlikely that there could have any impact on the winner.

Mukula took to Twitter to thank the delegates for the vote of confidence.

"Good morning to you all. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all that voted for me to retain my position as NRM vice chairperson Eastern. Time once again to work through this mighty party and transform our beloved pearl of Africa. God bless you," he tweeted on Friday morning. 

Aleper had the sweetest victory with little competition from his opponent who only got 2,220 votes as the incumbent got 8,143. In shocking results, Amooti Nyakana failed to defend his seat as NRM vice chairperson for Kampala after losing to Singh Katongole by a margin of over 2,000 votes.

In Central, Hajji Abdul Nadduli surrendered his seat to State minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda who beat four others to emerge as the youngest CEC member to win the 2020 race. Kiwanda who garnered 4,749 votes was closely followed by Kaliisa Kalangwa who got 3,701. Nadduli was disqualified by CEC on ground that he did not resign his position as Presidential advisor. 

In Western Uganda, Matayo Kyaligonza, Uganda’s ambassador to Burundi was floored by Chris Barymounsi, State minister for Housing. Baryomunsi got 5,947 votes, while Kyaligonza got 2,550.

And in Northern Uganda, the incumbent Sam Engola also lost his seat to Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanyah who claimed a massive victory with 7,473 against Engola’s 1,665.

NRM CEC Election Results

National Chairperson: Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
First Vice National chairperson: Al hajji Moses Kigongo.

Second National Vice Chairperson (Female)
Rebecca Kadaga -6776
Persis Namuganza -3943
Vice Chairperson, Kampala
Godfrey Nyakana-2665
Singh Katongole-4503

Vice Chairperson, Central
Twaha Ssonko Kiganda-1000
Godfrey Kiwanda- 4749
Moses Mayengo -127
John Magaro- 675
Moses Kalisa Karangwa-3701

Vice Chairperson Western
Diini Emmanuel Kisembo-224
Matayo Kyaligonza-2550
Chris Baryomunsi-5947
Apollo Timuganya-259
Kafuda Boaz-662
Florence Kintu Tumwine-1875
Wilberforce Muhangi-1285

Vice Chairperson, Northern
Samuel Odongo Oledo
Jacob Oulanyah- 7474
Sam Engola- 1665
Timothy Okee-895

Vice Chairperson, Eastern
Mike Mukula- 5818
Sanjay Tana-4162
Christine Harriet Akello-162

Vice Chairperson, Karamoja
Simon Peter Aleper-8143
Jimmy Lokoru Tebanyag-2220