By our reporter
The political storm in Kabale has deepened after the incumbent Woman MP, Hon. Catheline Ndamira Atwakiire, openly rejected the ruling of the NRM Elections Tribunal, describing it as biased, compromised, and detached from the will of the people.
The Tribunal controversially upheld Enid Origumisiriza as the NRM flag bearer in the Kabale Woman MP race following the July 17th primaries. Officially, Enid was declared winner with 53,713 votes against Ndamira’s 47,246. But Ndamira insists this was daylight electoral fraud, citing gross irregularities and deliberate manipulation of tally sheets that robbed her of a deserved victory.
Catheline Ndamira had formally petitioned the Tribunal, presenting overwhelming evidence showing that tallying errors and forged figures unjustly favored Enid. According to her, every declaration form tallied correctly placed her in the lead. Shockingly, Enid’s camp failed to provide a single credible piece of evidence to back their so-called victory.
Despite this, the Tribunal brushed aside Ndamira’s proof and went ahead to rubber-stamp Enid’s victory. “It is an insult to both justice and democracy for a Tribunal to ignore signed declaration forms and instead rely on backroom deals,” fumed one of Ndamira’s close allies.
Insider revelations indicate that the Tribunal had initially resolved to declare Ndamira the rightful winner. However, according to inside sources, its decision was hijacked by Enoch Barata, the NRM’s Director of Legal Affairs. Barata, who was Enid’s student at Kigezi High School and later became her campaign’s chief fundraiser, reportedly pressured the Tribunal to overturn its own findings in favor of his former teacher.
This blatant conflict of interest has raised eyebrows not only within Kabale but across the wider NRM family, with many questioning whether the party’s electoral processes can still guarantee fairness and integrity.
Adding fuel to the fire, residents of Kabale have openly dismissed the Tribunal’s ruling, insisting that they never voted for Enid and will not accept what they describe as “an imposed imposter.” Several community members told our reporter that the will of the people cannot be stolen in broad daylight and expect to go unchallenged.
Speaking to the media after the shock ruling, Ndamira expressed disbelief at how she was never even notified of the Tribunal’s decision, only learning of it through social media. “How can a ruling be issued behind the back of the petitioner? That alone shows the foul play at hand,” she remarked.
Undeterred, Ndamira has now declared her intention to run as an independent NRM leaning candidate, stating that her loyalty is first and foremost to the people of Kabale.
“The people of Kabale voted for me, not for Enid. I will not betray their trust. I will stand firm and defend their victory,” Ndamira boldly declared.
The Tribunal’s ruling may have been intended to end the contest, but it has instead ignited public anger and galvanized Ndamira’s support base. With residents openly rejecting Enid and rallying behind Ndamira, the stage is now set for a bruising showdown in 2026.
For many, this battle is no longer about party primaries—it is about defending the sanctity of the people’s vote against manipulation by powerful insiders. And in that fight, Catheline Ndamira is emerging as the uncompromising voice of the people of Kabale District
