Rukiga, Uganda – The incumbent Rukiga District LC V Workers’ Female Councilor, Hon. Tumukunde Adrine, suffered a humiliating defeat in the ongoing NRM party primary elections, failing to secure a single vote in her bid to retain the party’s flag for the upcoming polls.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The elections, held today, Friday, July 25, 2025, at the Rukiga District headquarters, saw her opponent, Madam Bazira Kellen, sweep all 46 votes cast by eligible voters, securing a 100% victory.
Presiding over the exercise, Rukiga District NRM Returning Officer Yaryakumanyi Selubowa Twah confirmed the outcomes of other races, declaring Hon. Asiimwe Beatrice as the NRM flag bearer for the Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) female LC V Councilor position and Joseph Besigye as the male PWDs Councilor flag bearer.
Meanwhile, the incumbent District Speaker, Hon. Akampurira Oscar, retained his position as the male LC V Workers’ Councilor after running unopposed.
Hon. Namureba Justus secured the party flag for the male elderly Councilorship, while Korukundo clinched the female elderly Councilorship flag.
Speaking to this reporter on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, disgruntled voters expressed their lack of trust in Hon. Tumukunde Adrine, citing her alleged abandonment of her biological daughter.
They questioned how a leader who could neglect her own child in dire need would effectively serve the broader community.
“How can we trust a leader who turned her back on her own flesh and blood? She abandoned her daughter, left her to starve, and watched as life crushed her—only to deny her existence like a stranger. If she could do that to her own child, what hope do the rest of us have? A leader without compassion is no leader at all,” one voter fumed, their voice trembling with anger.
The controversy surrounding Adrine’s personal life came to light early last year when, as a church warden, she publicly denied having a biological daughter, allegedly to pave the way for a new marriage.
Hailing from Nyabweshogwize Cell, Kitoha Parish, Kaharo Sub County in Kabale District, Adrine insisted she had never given birth or been married.
However, her claims were refuted by her biological sisters, Rukundo Anna and Twikirize Jacklin Maria, who confirmed that Adrine had been legally married to Tumwebaze Mercy, a resident of Rwesasi Cell, Kitoha Parish, Kaharo Sub County, in 1996.
The couple had three children before Adrine reportedly gave birth to another child outside the marriage, whom she later disowned.
Following their separation, the abandoned daughter became homeless, persistently seeking her mother’s help before tragically dying in a car accident at Muhanga Trading Center in Muhanga Town Council, Rukiga District.
The election outcome reflects the electorate’s rejection of Adrine, whose personal scandals appear to have overshadowed her political career.
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