The NRM Registrar’s office in Rukiga District has annulled the election of Mr. Zacharia Aharizira as Mparo Town Council Youth Chairperson, citing his status as a Civil Servant.
Zacharia, who contested and triumphed over Mr. Christmas Jones Tumuramye by a narrow vote margin on May 16, 2025, saw his victory overturned following a petition. In the election presided over by Mparo Town Council NRM registrar, Charity Natukunda, Zacharia garnered 8 votes against Tumuramye’s 6.
However, Tumuramye lodged a formal complaint with the office of the Resident District Commissioner and the Rukiga District NRM Registrar, alleging that Zacharia, who served as Principal Town Agent in Kabale Municipality, violated electoral laws by failing to resign from his position before engaging in partisan politics.
In a phone interview with our reporter, Yaryakumanyi Selubowa Twaha, the Rukiga District NRM Registrar, confirmed that Zacharia’s election had been canceled after verification of his status as a public servant.
The defeated candidate, Christmas Tumuramye, welcomed the nullification of Zacharia’s election. However, he called for further disciplinary action, arguing that Zacharia deliberately participated in the election despite knowing the legal constraints surrounding his civil servant status.
“We were aware of his employment with Kabale Municipal Council, but he denied it and convinced the registrar to let him contest as the NRM Youth Chairperson,” Tumuramye said.
CUE IN…TUMURAMYE 1 ON ELECTION RR
He further urged the NRM Electoral Commission to conduct thorough investigations into the eligibility of candidates before permitting them to contest in future elections.
CUE IN… TUMURAMYE 2 ON ELECTION RR
In a related development within Mparo Town Council, sources have revealed that Mr. Amos Ainomugisha is also at risk of losing his position as NRM Secretary for Finance after it was discovered that he is employed by the Rukiga District Local Government.
Despite his civil servant status, Amos Ainomugisha, a resident of Kibale Village in Sindi Ward, successfully contested and won the NRM Secretary for Finance position in the May 16, 2025 elections.
While confirmation of the nullification of his election is pending from the District NRM Registrar’s office, it has been confirmed that Ainomugisha is indeed employed as a porter at Mparo HC IV under Rukiga District Local Government.
We have also learnt that Ainomugisha was earlier cautioned by the Rukiga District RDC Zadock Kamusiime against participating in partisan politics, but the former refused to comply. The RDC declined to speak on the matter when contacted for a comment
Under Ugandan law, public servants are prohibited from participating in partisan politics to ensure neutrality and professionalism within the public service.
The Political Parties and Organizations Act (2005), Section 15, restricts public servants from founding, promoting, or being members of political parties. Engaging in such activities can result in fines or imprisonment.