Mercy Kanyesigye has been elected Uganda’s National Female Youth Member of Parliament after emerging winner in the 2026 Youth Parliamentary elections.
According to results declared by the Electoral Commission, Kanyesigye secured 216 votes, narrowly defeating National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer Dianah Ampaire, who garnered 198 votes.
The other contenders were Muhumuza Julia, who received 24 votes, and Namande Edith Nakayiza, who polled one vote.
The results were tallied and announced at Hoima City Stadium polling centre.
Kanyesigye’s victory comes after a bruising primary contest within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), where she lost to Ampaire.
She rejected the outcome of those primaries, insisting the process was neither free nor fair. Declaring she had been cheated, Kanyesigye chose to contest the general election as an Independent, boldly vowing to return and defeat her former party rival — a promise she has now fulfilled.
Her triumph has been welcomed by many youth leaders who see it as a win for political independence and a signal that young voters are increasingly willing to look beyond party lines in favor of issues and integrity.
Throughout her campaign, Kanyesigye focused strongly on youth empowerment and the fight against corruption, arguing that young people are often sidelined in the distribution of government resources.
She was particularly vocal about the Parish Development Model (PDM), pledging to push for transparency and fairness so that youth groups can meaningfully benefit from the programme.
She also committed to advocating for greater investment in skills development, youth entrepreneurship, and access to affordable financing, saying these are critical to tackling unemployment and poverty among Uganda’s young population.
With her election, Kanyesigye now takes her seat in the 12th Parliament, where expectations are high that she will be a strong and independent voice for young people across the country.
