Twelve incumbent district Woman Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Ankole Sub-region will not return to Parliament. The Ankole Sub-region comprises 13 districts: Mbarara City, Rwampara, Ntungamo, Isingiro, Ibanda, Mbarara, Kazo, Kiruhura, Bushenyi, Rubirizi, Mitooma, Sheema, and Buhweju. Only one incumbent, the Bushenyi District Woman MP, Annet Katusiime Mugisha, is returning to Parliament. Ms Katusiime, who garnered 59,472 votes, defeated three challengers.
She had earlier survived a tough contest in the NRM primaries held in September 2025, which emboldened her competitors in the general election.
‘This election was hot, but we thank God that we won. In this next term, we are going to fight poverty. I will be hatching 1,000 chicks per month for the next five years, and for the youth, we shall provide layers. I also have a coffee project where we shall distribute seedlings to farmers,’ she said. The incumbent Mbarara City Woman MP, Ms Ritah Atukwatsa Bwahika, who lost in the NRM primaries, contested as an Independent candidate, but was defeated by NRM’s Charity Kibaaju.
Ms Bwahika said she would continue serving residents in other capacities.
Kiruhura and Rubirizi districts had unopposed candidates after nominations, as incumbents who lost in the NRM primaries opted not to contest in the general election.
In Kiruhura District, Ms Jovanice Rwenduru lost the NRM flag to Ms Ruth Rujoki and later chose to respect party principles by allowing Ms Rujoki to go unopposed. In Rubirizi District, Ms Grace Kasande Bataringaya, who came third in the NRM primaries, decided not to challenge the party flag bearer, Ms Jeniva Arinaitwe Nalongo, in the general election.
Ms Arinaitwe was subsequently declared unopposed by the Rubirizi District Returning Officer, Mr Nicolas Twinomujuni, following nominations on October 24, 2025.
‘I want to focus on connecting the district with other districts through improved road networks to boost tourism. Rubirizi is a tourism district, but it has not been fully exploited. I thank the people of Rubirizi for allowing me to serve them,’ Ms Arinaitwe said.
Ms Arinaitwe, who was contesting for the first time, received overwhelming support during the NRM primaries, discouraging other potential candidates and enabling her to go through unopposed.
‘Team Nalongo prepared very well to ensure victory, even though this was my first time in elective politics. People want services, and I have been serving them in different capacities outside politics,’ she added.
The Mbarara District Woman MP, Ms Margret Ayebare Rwebyambu also contested in the general election after losing the NRM primaries to Ms Loydah Kyarikunda Twinomujuni but was defeated again.
Ms Ayebare garnered 16,075 votes compared to Ms Kyarikunda’s 31,456. Similarly, the incumbent Mitooma District Woman MP, Ms Juliet Agasha Bishasha, decided not to concede defeat after losing in the NRM primaries.
In the general election, she polled 23,413 votes against NRM’s Ms Rabecca Kyarampe, who secured 43,687 votes to enter Parliament for the first time.
Ms Rosemary Nyakikongoro of Sheema District did not contest in the general election after losing in the NRM primaries. The Isingiro District Woman MP, Ms Clare Mugumya, opted to run for the Bukanga North parliamentary seat as an Independent candidate but lost to the incumbent, Mr Nathan Byanyima. Ms Mugumya polled 740 votes against Mr Byanyima’s 11,228.
Other incumbent Woman MPs who will not return to the 12th Parliament include Ms Jennifer Muheesi (Kazo), Ms Oliver Katwesigye Koyekyenga (Buhweju), Ms Jane Bainomugisha (Ibanda), Ms Molly Asiimwe (Rwampara), and Ms Bata Kamateneti (Ntungamo).