Political defiance in hovering on in Kanungu District after several politicians who lost in NRM primaries rejected the party’s directive to step down and support the winners and have instead vowed to continue their campaigns as Independents in the 2026 general elections.
In Kinkizi West Constituency, the independents who include John Ndungutse Ngaruye, Safari Christopher, Counsel Stephen Turyatunga and Brian Tibendezana have insisted on remaining in the race to unseat the incumbent Hon James Ruugi Kaberuka who is serving his second term.
In Kinkizi East Constituency, the list of defiants features, Counsel Godfrey Akampa Akampurira, Sam Arinaitwe Kajojo, Ms Ruth Karungi Tukahiirwa and Aggrey Naturinda, all eyeing to dethrone the Minister of ICT and National Guidance Hon Dr Chris Baryomunsi who has been in Parliament since 2006.
On the Woman Member of Parliament seat, the incumbent Hon Kinshaba Patience Nkunda who is now an independent and Counsel Esther Majambere Kanyaruharo have also chosen the independent path aiming at defeating the NRM flagbearer Betty Namara Kataba Mutabazi, while for the LC 5 Chairperson position Francis Byamukama commonly known as Kapeesha remains firmly in the race as an independent to tussle it out with tge flagbearer Rev Justus Tibesigwa.
The 12 candidates opted to ran as independents despite NRM guidance directing that those who participated in primaries and lost to rally behind the official flag bearers.
It should be remembered that in an effort to restore unity, on 1st November 2025, the Western Uganda NRM Vice Chairperson Eng Jornard Asimwe Akiiki convened a meeting at the District Council Hall, bringing together independents and NRM flag bearers with an aim to negotiate and persuade some independents to stop down in favor of the party’s official candidates.
However, the meeting came out with deeper divisions and key independents who included Safari Christopher, Byamukama Francis, Counsel Akampa Akampurira, openly declined to abandon their independent bids and some independents avoided the meeting altogether and sent representatives, signalling their continued resistance to aligning with the NRM leadership.
It should however be noted that Ms Ruth Karungi and Francis Byamukama did not participate in the NRM primaries, although Byamukama had already been declared unopposed as district councillor for Buhoma Town Council which he abandoned to contest for the LC 5 seat.
The standoff has sparked concern among NRM loyalists who fear that the growing number of independents may spilt votes and weaken the party’s chances in the upcoming polls.
The independents, however, maintain that they are responding to the will of the electorate and insist they will proceed with their campaigns to challenge the party flag bearers at the ballot.
When President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni campaigned in Kanungu District on November 26th, it was highly expected that some of the NRM independents would respect the party Chairman and show remorse and step down, but all of them remained defiants.
It was instead the National Unity Platform District Woman Member of Parliament candidate Ms Zaida Akandinda who stepped forward and declared before the President that she had decided to step down due to little support for NUP in Kanungu and would now support the NRM.
Additional Reporting by Victory Tugume.
