IBANDA UGANDA – The National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer for the Ibanda District Woman Member of Parliament Ms. Patricia Kenyangi, has formally withdrawn her candidature mere days before the general elections.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The unexpected move was confirmed through a handwritten official letter dated 31st December 2025, addressed to the Ibanda District Election Administration and personally signed by the candidate.
Ms. Kenyangi, who is also the wife of Peter Mpaka, the former NUP flag bearer for Mbarara City North, did not disclose specific reasons for her sudden exit in the terse notice.
The letter formally requests the electoral body to process her withdrawal from the race, effectively nullifying the nomination documents she had previously submitted on the NUP ticket.
This last-minute withdrawal leaves the NUP ticket for the crucial District Woman Representative seat vacant, disrupting the party’s campaign strategy and prompting intense speculation about its contingency plans.
While the official communication remained silent on motives, high-level sources close to the matter indicate a deeper political realignment, with unidentified sources suggest she may have defected to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Insiders suggest the decision may have been influenced by perceived deficiencies in campaign financial and logistical support from the NUP’s national leadership, a point of contention that has simmered in some party circles.
The development is seen as a significant setback for the NUP, which has been striving to solidify its presence in Western Uganda, and a potential gain for the NRM in the region.
As of press time, neither the NUP party secretariat nor NRM’s regional offices had issued official statements regarding the withdrawal or the alleged defection.
The Electoral Commission is expected to formally update the list of contenders, while voters and political analysts await the next move in this unfolding electoral drama.
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