General Elly Tumwine the longest-serving representative of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF in Parliament lost his re-election bid. According to the UPDF parliamentary election results issued on Friday evening, the UPDF Defense council sitting at the Land Forces Headquarters in Bombo elected General David Muhoozi, the Chief of Defense Forces, Works Minister, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, the Deputy Chief of Defense Forces, Lt. Gen Wilson Mbadi and Commander of Land Forces Lt. Gen Peter Elwelu as UPDF representatives in Parliament.
Others elected are Lt. Gen James Mugira, the managing director and chief executive officer of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), the Deputy Commander Land Forces, Maj. Gen Sam Kavuma and the UPDF Chief Political Commissar, Maj. Gen Henry Matsiko. The female representatives are Colonel Dr. Victor Nekesa, Lt Col Charity Bainababoand Maj. Dr. Jennifer Alanyo.
According to the poll results declared by the Returning Officer, Umar Kiyimba, Muhoozi obtained the highest number of votes with 335; Katumba came second with 228 votes and Mugira 239 votes. Masiko scored 223 votes, Elwelu 218 votes, Kavuma 204 votes and Mbadi 184 votes.
The total number of valid votes cast was 2610 and while 12 were invalid. 21 army officers contested for the 10 UPDF parliament seats. General Tumwine, who was also nominated to run for his sixth term lost the elections. He scored 104 votes. Tumwine has served as a UPDF MP since 1986. He currently serves as Security Minister following his appointment in 2018.
Gen Edward Katumba Wamala is the only UPDF representative who was re-elected for another term. The new entrants who were nominated and lost include Lt. Gen. Charles Otema Awany, Lt. Gen. Charles Lutaaya, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti, Maj. Gen Sam Kiwanuka, Maj. Gen Sam Okiding, Brig. Gen. James Kinalwa, Brig. Gen. Mike Kisame, Brig. Gen. Francis Chemo, Brig. Gen. Ogik Bob Paskiesky and Lt. Col. Susan Mwanga.
Shortly after being declared elected, General David Muhoozi, the Chief of Defense Forces thanked the Defense Council for electing them to the 11th Parliament of Uganda and promised not to betray the trust put in them. President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who is also the Commander of Armed Forces called upon the new elected UPDF MP to support the seven key priority areas of his new term that include equipping the army, roads, railway and waterways.
Other priorities include electricity, health education, improved salaries for scientists, armed forces and wealth funds. “Equipping our Armed Forces to be second to none in our region of Africa, and I will not compromise on that,” Gen Museveni is quoted to have said in a statement released by UPDF. He said UPDF MPs are in Parliament and supposed to be a conveyor belt for National issues and listening posts.
“The members of the Constituent Assembly found it wise to include 10 members of Parliament to represent the UPDF,” Museveni said. The incumbent UPDF representatives who were not nominated include the UPDF and Defense Ministry Spokesperson, Brigadier Flavia Byekwaso, Col. Felix Kulayigye, the Former Deputy Chief of Defense Forces Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta and Maj. Gen. Pecos Kutesa.
The others are Col. Vicente Oula, Capt. Susan Lakot, Col. Francis Takirwa and Capt. Evelyn Asiimwe.
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