Following a heavy loss in the September 04 National Resistance Movement (NRM) primary election, former Makerere University Vice Chancellor Prof Venansius Baryamureeba has explained why he lost in Ibanda Municipality.
Prof Baryamureeba came fourth in the Ibanda Municipality NRM primary election.
Incumbent Tarsis Rwaburindore Bishanga emerged the winner, Peter Agaba second position and Deus Mulinde, in third.
Among the reasons he gave for his defeat was his late entry into the race.
Barya said this couldn’t allow him scoop many votes because his opponents had already aligned themselves around other candidates, hence hard for him to bring them to his side.
He joined barely two months to polling day.
He added that it was very hard for voters to turn against some candidates, whom they had already promised and committed to support, since the election was by lining up method, instead of a secret ballot.
The 2016 presidential candidate added that Covid19 had also made it difficult for him to gather voters and woo them over to his side — despite insisting he had a better manifesto than Bishanga and other opponents.
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As a way of thanking and giving back to the people who voted him, Baryamureeba swore to turn those villages into model communities that will serve as examples to the rest of the municipality and the country at large.
“Despite the short period of less than one and half months for the whole campaign period, miracles did happen. Despite the pressure of lining up behind candidates some villages in the municipality went against all odds and voted for me overwhelmingly as their best candidate,” Barya wrote.
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“They believed in my manifesto and I believe in them too and will support them to become model villages. These included Kikandure, Kasharara and Rwenchwamba.”
See attached file for full statement:
Minister Byabagambi, Two other Ibanda Incumbent MPs, Prof Baryamureeba floored in NRM Primaries