Anifa Kawooya trounces Joseph Sekabito in Mawogola West

Sembabule District Woman MP Anifa Bangirana Kawooya will hold the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag for the Mawogola West 2021 parliamentary election.

Kawooya beat Joseph Kitayimbwa Sekabito, the Mawogola MP, to earn the NRM flag.

According to results released by Sembabule District Returning Officer George William Katokoozi, Kawooya got 15,923 votes (54.8 per cent) while Sekabito got 13,143 (45.2 per cent).

THE GENESIS

After postponing the election twice – September 04 and September 28 – the Mawogola North finally took place amidst heavy security presence.

Deputy Police Chief Maj Gen Sabiiti Muzeeyi had camped in the district since September 28. Police had deployed at least 2,000 of its officers to ensure peaceful elections.

Clashes between supporters of Sekabito and Kawooya had prompted the party to defer the poll.

In one of the scuffles, Kawooya was injured and admitted.

Sekabito’s supporters had protested the suspension of polling on September 04, arguing it would work in Kawooya’s favour.

Ahead of the September 30 polling, NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi had warned that there would be no postponement.

“I want to tell the people of Mawogola that this is the last chance for them to have primaries, if they disturb the primaries as a result of violence and demonstrations, we shall not hold elections there. We shall have a constituency without flag bearers,” warned Tanga Odoi.

The elections had been scheduled for September 28 but the party pushed them to September 30 “to ensure electoral officials, security and candidates meet to agree on a number of things before the elections,” said NRM Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba.

The party also hoped to use the two-day extension to “enable stakeholders agree on how to carry out a peaceful election” and allow the contenders clearly “get dos and don’ts that need to be followed.”