Seven National Resistance Movement (NRM) party candidates across the country have been given a bye to the 12th Parliament without any contest in their respective constituencies. Mr Julius Mucunguzi, the spokesperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), said: ‘To be unopposed is provided for in the law. So far, I don’t have an updated list of the MPs who were newly nominated unopposed, but they will be declared next year as MPs.’
Earlier, Mr Mucunguzi had said: ‘Section 31 of the Parliamentary Elections Act states that if a candidate is unopposed by the time of the close of nomination, the returning officer declares them the duly elected MP of that electoral area, effective the polling date, and this case is January 15, 2026,’ he said. The EC conducted the nomination of parliamentary candidates across the country on Wednesday and Thursday last week. But some of the circumstances under which the seven legislators were declared unopposed have attracted criticisms of use of strong-arm tactics to secure the seats.
Speakers untouchable
Among those who sailed through unopposed were Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among (Bukedea District Woman MP), Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa (Ruhinda North County), Moses Magogo (Budiope East), Lillian Paparu Obiale (Arua District Woman MP), Emmanuel Banya (Koboko County), Jeniva Arinaitwe Nalongo (Rubirizi District Woman MP), and Ruth Mushabe Rujoki (Kiruhura District Woman MP). The top leadership of Parliament, Speaker Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa, were among the first to be declared unopposed. Both were announced to have secured their parliamentary seats without challenge for the second consecutive term.
Ms Among, who has represented Bukedea District since 2016, has maintained a firm hold in her home district, where no other aspirant was reported to have returned nomination papers. Similarly, Mr Tayebwa, the Ruhinda North County MP, remained unchallenged, continuing his unbroken streak in Mitooma District politics.
In Budiope East County, Mr Moses Magogo, who is also the president of Fufa and husband of the Speaker of Parliament, was declared unopposed for the second term after no other candidate filed nomination papers by the deadline. Mr Magogo was first elected Fufa president in 2013, succeeding Mr Lawrence Mulindwa, and was re-elected in July 2025 for a fourth unopposed term, which will run until 2029. The Returning Officer said the nomination process was peaceful and concluded without any contest, ensuring Mr Magogo’s smooth path to the 12th Parliament.
Arua and Koboko follow suit
In Arua District, Lillian Paparu Obiale also retained her seat unopposed. Born in 1978, Ms Paparu first joined elective politics in 2021 and, just like in the previous election, faced no challenger.
The District Returning Officer, Ms Marion Janis Audo, confirmed that no other candidate turned up for nomination, clearing Paparu to represent Arua for another term. In neighbouring Koboko District, Emmanuel Banya, a newcomer to elective politics, was also declared unopposed. Mr Raymond Kasirale, the Koboko District Returning Officer, said no one appeared for nomination against Mr Banya by 5pm, prompting his declaration unchallenged.
In Rubirizi District, Ms Jeniva Arinaitwe Nalongo emerged as the sole nominee for the District Woman MP seat. According to the Returning Officer, Mr Nicolas Twinomujuni, three people initially picked up nomination papers, but only Ms Arinaitwe submitted hers before the deadline. ‘Ms Arinaitwe is the only one who returned the papers for nomination, and we duly nominated her on Wednesday. By close of business, no other candidate had shown up, so she is unopposed,’ Mr Twinomujuni said. Ms Arinaitwe’s victory follows her earlier win in the NRM primaries, where she defeated former Woman MP Grace Kesande Bataringaya and Judith Amanya, who had contested twice before.
Ms Ruth Mushabe Rujoki, 44, was also declared unopposed. Daughter of the late Canon John Rujoki and sister of John Musinguzi Rujoki, the Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Ms Mushabe aims to build on her father’s legacy of service. She defeated incumbent Jovanice Rwenduru in the NRM primaries, and Rwenduru later withdrew from the race. District Returning Officer Alex Komuhangi said the nomination exercise ended peacefully. ‘Nomination exercise in Kiruhura District has been completed without any challenge. We nominated Ruth Mushabe Rujoki as the NRM candidate and duly declared her unopposed,’ Ms Komuhangi said. Ms Mushabe Rujoki had earlier defeated incumbent Rwenduru in the NRM primaries. Ms Rwenduru, who was expected to run as an Independent, later withdrew from the race on October 7 to honour the NRM party regulations.