Akifeza Grace Ngabirano, the runner-up in the recent NRM by-elections in Kisoro district, has presented five key grievances on behalf of her supporters, urging the NRM leadership to address the ongoing election rigging crisis immediately.
In a press statement issued in Kisoro on October 25, 2024, Akifeza emphasized the urgent need for the NRM leadership to resolve these issues related to the concluded elections.
Her supporters are calling for her to take legal action to contest the election results, run as an independent candidate in the upcoming November 14 elections, declare the Woman MP by-elections in Kisoro null and void, conduct a re-run in specific polling centers where significant irregularities were documented, and meet with electoral and party leadership to express her concerns directly.
Akifeza alleged that her victory was undermined by various malpractices, including interference from senior NRM officials, intimidation of her agents, inflated voter counts, altered results, non-compliance with party registers, voter bribery, and a lack of impartiality among electoral staff.
She stated, “There was no compliance with NRM electoral regulations and guidelines; electoral officials were not recruited according to NRM party rules.”
Moreover, Akifeza noted that complaints raised during the vote tallying were not adequately addressed by the party’s Electoral Commission, which proceeded to announce results without resolving these issues—potentially affecting the outcome.
This election has left the people of Kisoro disheartened and frustrated, undermining their confidence in the party’s internal democracy and threatening to divide the NRM’s stronghold in the district.
Candidate Akifeza Grace Ngabirano expressed her gratitude to the people of Kisoro who voted for her, asserting that her visible victory was taken away by unpatriotic elements.
She warned that such actions threaten democratic principles and party unity, urging the NRM to resolve these systemic failures and enhance internal conflict resolution mechanisms.
Hon. Akifeza Grace Ngabirano is the daughter of Mzee Bakanya from Gasaro (Matinza), Rwingwe Nyakabande Subcounty, Kisoro district. She began her education at Matinza Primary School, attended Seseme Girls, and earned her bachelor’s degree in social sciences from the University of Nairobi in Kenya.
She furthered her education with a master’s degree in child rights from Kurt Bosch University and another master’s in gender development studies from the University of Nairobi, as well as a diploma in project management from Makerere University.
She is married to Mr. Ngabirano Michael from Nombe ward, Rubuguri Subcounty, and they have four children.
Akifeza has worked with the UNHCR in Nairobi, Community Aid International in Kenya, and the World Health Organization in Geneva. She is also a businesswoman and a commercial farmer.
