The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has reclaimed the Kalangala District Woman Member of Parliament seat following a decisive victory in Thursday’s highly anticipated by-election.
The poll, triggered by the untimely death of former legislator Hellen Nakimuli, was widely seen as a crucial litmus test for both the ruling party and the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) ahead of the next general election cycle.
Shortly before 2:00 AM on Thursday, Kalangala District Returning Officer Ronald Agaba declared NRM’s Idah Nabayiga the winner. Nabayiga garnered 12,642 votes, comfortably defeating her closest rival, NUP’s Irene Nampala, who polled 7,474 votes.
The remaining contestants-independent candidates Sharifah Babirye, Flavia Hellen Nagawa, and Agnes Nasuuna-trailed far behind, receiving 244, 217, and 34 votes, respectively.
Heavyweight deployment
The comfortable 5,168-vote margin capped weeks of high-stakes, aggressive campaigning that saw the NRM deploy its top-tier political machinery to the island district. Recognizing Kalangala’s strategic importance, the ruling party launched a coordinated assault led by seasoned political operatives.
At the forefront was NRM Deputy Secretary General Rose Namayanja Nsereko, who pitched camp in the district for several weeks to revitalize local party structures. Namayanja systematically engaged women’s groups, youth, religious leaders, and opinion makers to consolidate the party’s grassroots base.
She was reinforced by Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, the Acting Foreign Affairs Minister and NRM Central Region Vice Chairperson, who traversed various landing sites and islands to re-energize supporters.
Other heavyweights on the ground included NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi, Commissioner James Williams Kinobe, Director for Mobilisation Rosemary Sseninde, and Director of Information and Publicity Emmanuel Dombo. Dombo successfully framed the election as a choice between “continuity under the NRM and uncertainty under the opposition.”
Political analysts note that the sheer caliber and experience of the NRM team-many boasting up to two decades of parliamentary and cabinet experience-gave Nabayiga an insurmountable advantage in election management and voter mobilization.
Museveni’s final push
The campaign reached its peak with a visit from President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM national chairman. During his final rallies, the President addressed pressing local issues, pledging to improve island transport services, support the vital fishing industry, and resolve lingering service delivery bottlenecks. Local observers say the President’s intervention injected crucial momentum and solidified voter turnout.
In contrast, the opposition challenge appeared fragmented. While NUP’s Nampala put up a spirited fight, observers noted that the wider opposition struggled with coordination. Some candidates maintained a remarkably low profile and skipped high-stakes campaign events, including a televised candidates’ debate, which reinforced public perceptions of organizational frailty.
Ultimately, the Kalangala by-election has underscored the NRM’s enduring ability to deploy vast organizational networks and veteran leadership when cornered. For the opposition, the defeat serves as a stark reminder that flipping island constituencies requires more than wave-driven popular support; it demands a robust, well-funded political machinery capable of matching the ruling party’s formidable footprint.