All three incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) and the LC5 chairperson in Butaleja District have lost their seats in the just-concluded general elections, marking a significant political shift in the area.
The defeated incumbents are Mr Yusuf Mutembuli, the MP for Bunyole East; Mr Geoffrey Mutiwa, the MP for Bunyole West; Ms Florence Nebanda Andiru, the Butaleja District Woman MP; and Mr Micheal Bory Higenyi, the LC5 chairperson of Butaleja District.
In Bunyole East, Mr Mutembuli was defeated by Mr Ronald Mutengo, while in Bunyole West, Mr Mutiwa lost to Mr James Waluswaka. Ms Nebanda was unseated by Ms Sarah Logose, who won the District Woman MP seat. Meanwhile, Mr Higenyi was defeated by youthful newcomer Mr Elvis Were in the LC5 chairperson race. The defeat of the three MPs and the LC5 chairperson follows their earlier loss of the NRM flag during party primaries held last year, marking their second consecutive political setback.
Mr Mutembuli lost the NRM flag to former MP Moses Nagwomu Musamba, who also failed to reclaim the seat in the general election. Ms Nebanda lost the party flag to Ms Logose, who went on to defeat her in the final poll, while Mr Mutiwa lost the flag to Mr Waluswaka, who has now reclaimed the Bunyole West seat. Mr Higenyi lost the NRM flag to Joseph Muyonjo, who passed away shortly after the primaries, prompting the NRM Electoral Commission to organise fresh elections. Mr Were emerged victorious and became the party’s flag bearer for the LC5 position.
Mr Mutiwa had replaced Mr Waluswaka in the 2021 General Election, but Mr Waluswaka has now staged a comeback by defeating him in the 2026 General Election. Similarly, Mr Mutembuli secured the NRM flag in 2021 and went on to defeat Mr Nagwomu, but the political tide shifted against him this time. During the recent NRM primaries, Mr Nagwomu won the party flag after defeating political newcomer Mr Faustine Mutabazi, who came second. However, Mr Mutabazi was later disqualified by the Electoral Commission just two days before the general election.
Political analyst Jimmy Mango attributed Mr Mutengo’s victory partly to Mr Mutabazi’s disqualification. ‘Mutengo benefited from the Electoral Commission’s decision to disqualify Mutabazi. Once he was removed from the race, his supporters had limited options and largely shifted their support to Mutengo,’ Mr Mango said. He added that Mr Mutabazi enjoyed stronger grassroots support than any other candidate, arguing that disqualifying him on the basis of rumours so close to polling day was a mistake.
The election outcome signals a strong voter appetite for change in Butaleja District, with all incumbent legislators swept out of office. Daily Monitor also learnt that most incumbent LC5 councillors lost their seats in this year’s elections. Mr John Paul Osinde, the Butaleja District returning officer, said the elections were conducted peacefully.
In Bunyole West, Mr Waluswaka (NRM) was declared the winner after polling 20,270 votes against the incumbent Mr Mutiwa (Independent), who garnered 15,757 votes. Other candidates included Mr Peter Kaita Munghesi (NUP) with 1,933 votes, Mr Joel Fuuna (Independent) with 131 votes, and Mr Yasini Mabaale (FDC) with 65 votes.
In Bunyole East, Mr Ronald Mutego Hanghujja (Independent) emerged victorious with 17,355 votes, defeating Mr Moses Musamba Nagwomu (NRM), who polled 16,087 votes. Ms Logose won the Butaleja District Woman MP seat after securing 39,894 votes, defeating incumbent Ms Nebanda, who obtained 18,652 votes. Other contenders were Ms Agatha Hamba Muloki (Independent) with 14,054 votes, Sauya Kizza (NUP) with 4,421 votes, and Christine Sannyu Nawetene (Independent) with 986 votes.
Mr Were (NRM) was declared the winner of the LC5 chairperson seat after polling 41,277 votes, defeating incumbent Mr Higenyi (Independent), who garnered 17,387 votes. Political analyst David Mulabi observed that voters are becoming more civically conscious and increasingly hold leaders accountable for their campaign promises.
‘For instance, voters repeatedly reminded Mutembuli about the tarmac road he had promised, even citing a video in which he assured them that his next nomination would be on tarmac,’ Mr Mulabi said. Similarly, Mr Higenyi was reminded of his pledge to create jobs, while Ms Nebanda struggled to convince voters of the tangible benefits she had delivered.
‘In the absence of a clear track record of service, voters appear comfortable sending in new leaders. This explains why Waluswaka was remembered and re-elected, he had delivered several kilometres of surface-dressed tarmac roads, a visible achievement that resonated with the electorate,’ Mr Mulabi added. In a congratulatory message to President Museveni on his re-election for the 2026 to 2031 term, Mr Eddy Wamushya, the acting Sehulu of the Bunyole Cultural Institution, said: ‘At the micro level of local government administration, the Banyole people elected the youthful Elvis Were, the NRM flag bearer, to the district LC5 position.
This development will help establish a leadership support structure from the grassroots to the parliamentary level, and potentially to the cabinet level, thereby creating a fully buttressed service delivery linkage for the benefit of our people. Mr Were has since called for unity among residents of Butaleja District.
‘Now that the elections are behind us, it is time to put aside political differences and unite as one people. Development does not recognise party lines,’ Mr Were said. He pledged to prioritise service delivery, improve roads, schools, health facilities and agriculture, and create opportunities for youth and women, assuring residents that no one would be left behind.
Former LC5 chairperson contestant James Wire said disunity among incumbents contributed to their defeat.
‘They were busy fighting among themselves, which affected their performance. They ignored advice from the elite community and surrounded themselves with people who lacked vision and capacity,’ Wire said.
In a press release dated January 27, the outgoing LC5 chairperson, Mr Higenyi, pledged to support the incoming leadership during the transition.
‘After careful reflection, I have deemed it appropriate to hand over the office on May 19. The date coincides with the anniversary of my swearing-in and my golden jubilee. I trust the handover will be conducted smoothly, in the spirit of continuity and cooperation,’ Mr Higenyi stated.