Retired Brigadier General Emmanuel Rwashande has defeated incumbent MP Theodore Ssekikubo in the hotly contested National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries for Lwemiyaga County.
The dramatic race, marred by allegations of violence and electoral malpractice, has ended Ssekikubo’s reign as the NRM’s parliamentary flag bearer a position he’s held for nearly two decades.
According to official tallies, Rwashande clinched the win with 16,358 votes, more than doubling Ssekikubo’s 8,702. Former minister Joy Kabatsi trailed with 473 votes, while Jacob Kato managed just 11.
But the victory has not come without controversy.
Ssekikubo has outright rejected the results, claiming the entire process was riddled with intimidation, violence, and targeted attacks on his supporters.
Speaking shortly after the announcement, he said, “This was not an election, it was a military operation disguised as a vote. My supporters were beaten, abducted, and some are still missing.”
The two rivals clashed throughout the campaign, with Ssekikubo accusing Rwashande of lacking the minimum academic qualifications to stand for the position an allegation Rwashande dismissed as “political distraction.”
Tensions boiled over weeks before the polls. On June 26, a rally in Kirega, Kampala Parish ended in bloodshed when unknown assailants reportedly opened fire on the crowd. One of Ssekikubo’s staunch supporters, Sembusi Alex, was shot dead.
Ssekikubo himself sustained injuries along with another supporter, Moses Titangana.
In the wake of that attack, Ssekikubo wrote to Inspector General of Police Abas Byakagaba, requesting personal security and citing credible threats to his life and campaign team.
Despite these appeals, Thursday’s primary went ahead under heavy security.
Rwashande, a newcomer to elective politics but a familiar face in military and intelligence circles, has yet to formally respond to Ssekikubo’s claims.
His supporters, however, celebrated the win as a “new beginning” for Lwemiyaga County.
Ssekikubo’s defeat adds to a growing list of high-profile casualties in this year’s NRM primaries. Ministers including Musa Ecweru, David Bahati, Henry Musasizi, Peace Mutuuzo, and Joyce Kaducu were also shown the exit by party voters.
