Mpirirwe nominated for Ntungamo district chairman seat as independent candidate

Ntungamo: Former NRM flag bearer aspirant and current Ntungamo Subcounty LC5 Councillor, Naboth Mpirirwe, has officially declared his intention to contest for the Ntungamo District LC5 Chairperson seat as an independent candidate in the upcoming 2026 general elections.

Mpirirwe made the announcement recently, shortly after submitting his nomination forms at the Ntungamo Electoral Commission offices, where he was formally cleared to join the race.

Addressing reporters after his nomination, Mpirirwe cited alleged irregularities in the recent NRM party primaries, which he claims robbed him of victory, despite what he called overwhelming grassroots support.

“The process was marred by vote rigging, favoritism, and manipulation,” Mpirirwe said. “I am still a member of NRM, but I will not allow Ntungamo to be undermined by corruption and vote theft. I am now taking my mandate directly to the people.”

He described the NRM internal elections as flawed and accused the party’s electoral systems of being irresponsible and compromised.

Mpirirwe expressed strong faith in the Uganda Electoral Commission, which he said is better positioned to conduct a free and fair election, in contrast to what he termed as the NRM’s biased internal processes.

“I believe the national Electoral Commission is more organized and capable of delivering a credible outcome,” he added.

Responding to circulating allegations that he is being sponsored by external forces to destabilize the electoral process, Mpirirwe firmly dismissed the claims.

“My candidacy is driven solely by the will of the people of Ntungamo. I am not working for anyone but the voters,” he stated.

He called on his supporters to remain vigilant in guarding their votes, vowing to protect the integrity of the election against what he referred to as “mafia networks” that previously tampered with results.

In the 2025 NRM primaries, Mpirirwe placed third, garnering 33,212 votes. The winner and incumbent LC5 Chairperson Samuel Muchunguzi Rwakigooba led with 50,913 votes, followed by John Kabeeho with 44,128 votes, while Dr. Samuel Mwesigye came fourth with 2,969 votes.

Despite the outcome, Mpirirwe has insisted that the results did not reflect the true voice of the people and has opted to contest independently.

As Uganda heads toward the 2026 general elections, the Electoral Commission is finalizing the nomination of LC5 chairpersons and councillors across the country. The nomination window is scheduled to officially close today, Friday, September 6, 2025.

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