By Spy Uganda
Tensions boiled over in Kasese Municipality on Monday as hundreds of furious National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters flooded the streets in protest, denouncing what they called a “blatantly rigged” party primary for the Woman Member of Parliament seat.
The chaos follows the declaration of Sarah Ithungu Baleke as the official NRM flag bearer, after she narrowly beat Mary Marylin Kabugho by just 2,604 votes, according to results announced by District NRM Returning Officer Amon Mbusa. Baleke polled 65,664 votes to Kabugho’s 63,060.
But the close contest has ignited outrage among Kabugho’s supporters, who accuse top party officials—particularly the District NRM Chairperson—of manipulating the vote tally in Baleke’s favor.
“We witnessed outright irregularities and interference by the district party leadership. This is a betrayal of internal democracy,” said Margaret Kabugho, an NRM cadre and one of the protest organizers.
“We are not just voters — we are stakeholders. If this injustice stands, we will boycott all future NRM activities,” added Bigboss Ahimbisibwe, another visibly enraged supporter.
Protest Turns Chaotic
The demonstrators demanded an immediate vote recount or a fresh primary, threatening to withdraw all grassroots support from the ruling party unless their demands are addressed.
“We won’t be part of a party that rewards electoral fraud and silences loyal supporters,” declared Augustine Bwambale, a youth mobilizer in the district.
Police, led by SP Hassan Hiwumbire, the Division Police Commander for Kasese Central, intercepted the crowd after they marched through several key streets in Kasese town.
“We urged them to disperse peacefully and lodge a formal petition rather than disrupt public order,” said SP Hiwumbire, who confirmed that no arrests had been made.
Amid the uproar, Mary Marylin Kabugho has vowed to formally petition the NRM Secretariat, insisting the process was riddled with malpractice.
“There was clear vote theft. I will not back down. If the party ignores my petition, I will consult my supporters — and if they advise me to run as an independent, I will not hesitate,” Kabugho warned.
As of press time, the NRM leadership in Kasese had not issued an official response to the allegations or the growing unrest.
Political Implications Ahead Of 2026
The fallout threatens to deepen internal divisions in Kasese—an already politically volatile district where the NRM has long struggled against the opposition, particularly the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
Despite recent efforts to consolidate its grassroots support, the NRM remains a minority force in Kasese. The 2025 Woman MP primary was viewed as a crucial test of the party’s renewed mobilization strategy, featuring three heavyweight contenders: Sarah Ithungu Baleke, Mary Marylin Kabugho, and Happy Esther.
But the post-election unrest now casts a shadow over those efforts and raises urgent questions about the credibility of the NRM’s internal electoral systems.
“This isn’t just a local dispute — it’s a test of the party’s commitment to fair play and unity in a region where it’s trying to gain ground,” noted a political analyst familiar with the district.
With the 2026 general elections looming, how the NRM handles the Kasese fallout could have lasting consequences in one of Uganda’s most fiercely contested political battlegrounds.
