(Kisoro) – Former Kisoro District Woman MP Rose Kabagyeni has taken a key step toward reclaiming her parliamentary seat after winning the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries on Friday, overcoming close rival Grace Akifeza Ngabirano by a margin of 744 votes.
Kabagyeni, who previously held the seat, garnered 39,941 votes (47.7%) compared to Ngabirano’s 39,197 votes (46.8%). NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Tanga Odoi declared Kabagyeni the winner at 11:01 p.m., officially naming her the party’s candidate for the upcoming by-election on November 14.
The by-election, set to fill the seat vacated by the late Sarah Mateke, has drawn significant attention. Mateke, who had defeated Kabagyeni in the 2021 election, passed away in early September due to a heart attack.
The primary election saw a tight two-way race, although six other aspirants participated, each polling low vote totals. The final vote count for each candidate, as announced by Odoi, is detailed below:
| Candidate | Votes Received | Percentage of Total Votes |
|---|---|---|
| Rose Kabagyeni | 39,941 | 47.7% |
| Grace Akifeza Ngabirano | 39,197 | 46.8% |
| Irene Mahirwe | 1,729 | – |
| Brenda Fancy Nirere | 1,593 | – |
| Winfred Faith Igiraneza | 510 | – |
| Jemimah Irankunda | 363 | – |
| Blessed Kitentera | 248 | – |
| Hellen Mbonye | 111 | – |
This outcome followed extensive NRM party consultations. President Museveni, who also serves as the party chairman, had previously summoned all 13 primary candidates to State House, urging them to back Ngabirano. Five candidates agreed to step down; however, Kabagyeni and seven others chose to stay in the race, advocating for voters’ choice.
Allegations of irregularities surfaced as votes were being counted. Kabagyeni claimed that Ngabirano had brought Metropolitan University students to various polling stations, despite their absence from the voter register. In response, Ngabirano alleged that vote totals exceeded the registered voter count. Both candidates’ accusations pointed to possible election malpractice.
Following the announcement of results, Ngabirano rejected the outcome, calling it fraudulent and demanding a recount. She claimed her supporters and polling agents had been intimidated by Kabagyeni’s camp.
Tanga Odoi, overseeing the process, declined to consider these complaints, stating there was insufficient evidence to support claims of irregularities.
Kabagyeni, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Agriculture, now faces an upcoming vote in Kisoro next month as she campaigns to regain her seat. She brings extensive experience in agriculture and public service to her campaign. Born in Nyakabande Subcounty, Kisoro District, Kabagyeni completed her primary education at Gikoro Primary School in 1987 and earned her Uganda Certificate of Education from Seseme Girls Secondary School in 1990.
Kabagyeni later pursued agricultural studies, earning a certificate in 1995, a diploma from Bukalasa Agricultural College in 2000, and a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Makerere University in 2004. She furthered her qualifications with a second diploma in 2011 and a certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation from the Uganda Management Institute in 2013. Kabagyeni completed her master’s degree in agriculture from Makerere in 2014.
She worked as an agricultural officer in Kisoro District and later as a consultant with the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) before resigning in 2016 to run for parliament, where she won the Woman MP seat. She held this seat until the 2021 elections, when she was defeated by Sarah Mateke.
