The National Resistance Movement -NRM party has taken the leadership of the two divisions in Mbarara city.
Mbarara is one of the new cities that started operations on July 1, 2020. It is divided into Mbarara City North, comprising the areas of Kamukuzi, Kakiika and Biharwe, and Mbarara City South Division covering the areas of Nyakayojo, Nyamitanga and Kakoba.
From polls held on Monday, the Mbarara City North Division mayoral seat was won by Gumisiriza Kyabwiso, who polled 9,185 votes to beat five other candidates. He was followed by Benon Mugume with 6,958 votes, Johns Asingwire who had 405 votes and Naboth Ainemaaniof the National Unity Platform with who polled 249 votes.
Kyabwiso and Benon Mugume were facing off for the third time. The two contested against each other in 2016 for the same seat before Mbarara was elevated to City status and met again during the NRM Party primaries in which Kyabwiso emerged the victor.
The other candidates in the same race included Godfrey Ayebazibwe, the Forum for Democratic Change -FDC candidate who polled 226 votes and Mweteise Bintabara, of the Alliance for National Transformation who polled 108 votes. The area with a total of 114,511) registered voters in 195 polling stations.
Meanwhile, Jomo Mugabi Jamidin, another NRM candidate has been declared the winner in Mbarara City Division South after collecting 16,321 votes beating five other contenders. Others are Quraish Segawa of NUP who polled 2,793 votes, Benson Tumuheirwe with 1,807 votes and Godwin Byekwaso who had 1,436 votes.
Apart from the woman Member of Parliament that was won by Rita Atukwase Bwahika an Independent candidate, the NRM party now takes full charge of Mbarara City Council after the City Mayoral seat was won by Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi. The counties were won by Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari and Mwine Mpaka Rwamirama.
The NRM also took charge of the divisions in Fort Portal, another newly created city. According to the Fort Portal Returning Officer James Mugenyi, Richard Muhumuza, the former chairperson of West Division Fort Portal Municipality, defeated five opponents to take the Fort Portal Central Division mayoral seat.
Muhumuza garnered 6,990 votes while his closest rival, Joram Bintamanya of the Forum for Democratic Change – FDC polled 3,869 votes. The others in the race included independent candidates Herbert Mugisa who got 2,193 votes and Gilbert Kayondo, the former speaker pf Fort Portal Municipal Council who got 1,010 votes.
Davis Rwamuhumbu of National Unity Platform – NUP party got 235 votes and independent candidate Yasin Abdullah came last with only 132 votes. In North Division, Joseph Mashuhuko of NRM won with 9,736 votes beating Pascal Kato Byoma who had 2,049 votes.
Mashuhuko was the Karambi Sub County councillor to Kabarole District Council. However, when Fort Portal city was being created, Karambi was annexed to the then Fort Portal Municipality with Bukuuku Sub County and Karago town council to form the North Division.
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