The incumbent Woman Member of Parliament for Kisoro District, Grace Akifeza Ngabirano, has been nominated under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag, just a week after a video allegedly showing her in an indecent act circulated online, sparking outrage and embarrassment within the community.
In mid-October 2025, Kisoro District was thrown into controversy after a video surfaced online allegedly showing Akifeza dancing suggestively at a party while dressed in a short mini-skirt and holding a small handbag. The clip, reportedly uploaded from anonymous sources, spread rapidly across TikTok, WhatsApp, and other social media platforms, particularly in local community groups, because Akifeza is a prominent political figure in the district.
Despite the controversy, on October 23, 2025, Akifeza was duly nominated at 2:00 PM by the Kisoro District Electoral Commission to contest for a second term as Woman Member of Parliament on the NRM ticket.
Akifeza first won the Kisoro Woman MP seat earlier this year in a by-election following the death of the former Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Hon. Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke, who passed away on September 7, 2024, due to a heart attack at Mengo Hospital.
Speaking to the media shortly after her nomination, Akifeza addressed the viral video, dismissing it as fake and the work of “jealous and hateful individuals” using artificial intelligence to tarnish her reputation.
“I condemn the defamation and malicious acts being spread against me. I urge the public to ignore such distractions and focus on developing our district,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Bufumbira North NRM flag bearer, Habyara Fortunate Gatare, vowed to address the challenge of underdevelopment in his constituency, which he said has lagged behind due to poor leadership.
Mahirwe Iren, an independent candidate for the Kisoro Woman MP seat, also called on her supporters to rally behind her, saying their support would help advance the district’s growth.
In Bufumbira East, the NRM flag bearer Roland Kanya pledged to monitor government projects and follow up on presidential pledges to ensure effective service delivery in his constituency.
The Kisoro District Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Daniel Nayebare, cautioned all parliamentary aspirants against holding processions after their nominations, noting that the official campaign period would be announced in the coming week.
According to Nayebare, the nomination exercise concluded with 19 candidates across the district’s five constituencies. Independent candidates accounted for the highest number with 9, followed by NRM (6), National Unity Platform – NUP (2), Alliance for National Transformation – ANT (1), and Forum for Democratic Change – FDC (1).
Nayebare pledged to convene a meeting with all nominated candidates to discuss campaign guidelines and ensure free and fair elections in Kisoro District.
