Africa-Press – Uganda. Former Transport Minister Joy Kafula Kabatsi dramatically walked out of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primary elections in Lwemiyaga County on Thursday after failing to attract any visible support at her designated polling station.
The incident occurred at Kewaya Polling Station, where Kabatsi and her competitor, Rtd. Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Rwashande, had turned up to cast their votes.
As the lining-up method of voting unfolded — a system where voters physically queue behind their preferred candidate — Kabatsi appeared stunned by the near-total absence of supporters on her side.
She quietly stepped out of the line – or what her lone figure had created as a line – and exited the polling area before casting her vote, signaling an early concession of defeat.
The dramatic withdrawal was followed by a brief address to the media in which she questioned the lack of support in her own village.
“How can I get such a number of voters in a village where I live?” Kabatsi asked, visibly disheartened.
At least Kabatsi showed up. Fourteen years ago, Olara Otunnu was a no-show in his own presidential bid, failing to vote for himself.
Kabatsi was contesting against Rtd. Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Rwashande, incumbent MP Theodore Ssekikubo, and seasoned local politician Edmond Bwiire for the NRM party flag in Lwemiyaga County ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Despite Kabatsi’s protest and withdrawal, the voting proceeded without interruption. According to results declared by area returning officer David Nuabiine, Rwashande emerged as the clear winner with 195 votes, while Ssekikubo managed only 3 votes.
Kabatsi did not register a single vote — not even from herself.
The outcome has caused a stir in political circles within Sembabule District, where Kabatsi has long maintained a significant presence.
Her failure to attract support in her home area has been interpreted by observers as a sign of deep internal shifts within the local NRM base.
Rwashande’s victory further cements his growing influence in the region and adds momentum to his bid to unseat Ssekikubo, who has been a prominent, often controversial figure in national politics.
Kabatsi, who previously served as Minister of State for Transport and has contested multiple times in Lwemiyaga, has not formally conceded defeat but her withdrawal has been widely viewed as a silent protest against an impending political humiliation.
The NRM’s lining-up voting system, while lauded for transparency, has frequently exposed candidates to public embarrassment, especially those whose grassroots support has waned.
For Kabatsi, the 2025 primaries may well mark the closing chapter of her decades-long political journey — unless she seeks redress through party appeals or returns as an independent.
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