Buyende District Election Registrar and Returning Officer, George William Eriau, has clarified that there will be no voting for the directly elected Member of Parliament for Budiope East constituency after the incumbent and National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer, Moses Hashim Magogo, was declared unopposed.
In a media address to voters in Buyende District after receiving election materials on Monday, Eriau said the parliamentary race was concluded following a High Court decision that upheld the Electoral Commission’s action to disqualify Daniel Mulirire from the contest.
“The High Court reaffirmed the decision taken by the Electoral Commission to disqualify candidate Daniel Mulirire. This leaves the incumbent, Moses Hashim Magogo of NRM, as the sole candidate.
As a result, there will be no election for the directly elected Member of Parliament for Budiope East constituency, except for the Presidential and Woman Member of Parliament positions,” Eriau said.
He called for calm among voters and urged them to turn up peacefully to exercise their constitutional right to vote for other elective positions, assuring the public of a credible electoral process.
The disqualification of all other contenders and the subsequent declaration of Magogo as unopposed has drawn mixed reactions across the constituency.
Some voters said the outcome was expected, particularly after Magogo’s closest rival, Godfrey Dhamuzungu, withdrew from the race citing the death of his father and pressure from family members.
Other aspirants, including Stephen Bangalana, Rabin Peere, and Resty Nsiro, were also disqualified following various petitions.
While some members of the public allege that candidates were induced to exit the race, others claim that certain aspirants were initially introduced to split opposition votes and later withdrew through petitions after Dhamuzungu pulled out.
Speaking during the Buyende District NRM flag bearer vote mobilisation exercise on Monday, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among congratulated Magogo, saying his unopposed victory was not surprising given his performance and service to the people.
“This is not a surprise. He has delivered for his people, though some sections wanted to make it difficult for him. Now this gives him a challenge to cover the entire district in his role as NRM District Chairperson,” Among said.
She added that the overwhelming support for Magogo as NRM District Chairperson sent a strong signal of confidence from party members in Buyende.
“Thank you for your prayers. When I came out unopposed, I told you he would also be unopposed. With the double blessings of twins, everything now comes in doubles,” Among remarked amid cheers.
Some district civil servants also welcomed the development, saying Magogo’s cooperative working relationship with technocrats and his support for government programmes would enhance Buyende District’s access to national resources.
However, opposition-leaning groups such as Team Tweyambe Beene cautioned Magogo against complacency, warning that they would regroup and closely monitor his performance.
“We are aware of the circumstances under which he became unopposed. We will restrategise and hold him accountable. He should not assume that economic power is permanent,” the group said in a statement.
One of Mulirire’s supporters, Tomasi Ngole, criticised the Electoral Commission, arguing that the nomination and subsequent disqualification of candidates by the same body undermines democratic principles and fuels voter apathy.
“The candidates should have been allowed to win or lose at the ballot. Aborting the process only weakens public trust,” Ngole said.
In response, Magogo said his commitment to serve the people of Budiope East remains unwavering.
“My passion to serve the people of Budiope is unconditional, like a mother’s love. No amount of pressure, intimidation, or propaganda will divert me from my vision, mission, and commitment,” he said.
