The aspirants, currently engaged in primary campaigns, are expected to meet in Kampala to receive guidance from the party chairman.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party chairman, Yoweri Museveni, has summoned the 13 aspirants endorsed in the NRM primaries for the Kisoro district Woman Member of Parliament by-election.
The aspirants, currently engaged in primary campaigns, are expected to meet in Kampala to receive guidance from the party chairman.
The 13 are Fancy Nirere, Sylvia Dushime, Grace Akifeza, Winfred Faith Igiraneze, and Jemimah Irankunda.
Others are Rose Kabagyeni, Blessed Kinterere, Irene Mahirwa, Hellen Mboye, Louise, Allen Nkurikiye, Aphia Nyiramahoro, and Eva Twireze.
The women are campaigning for the NRM flag to contest in the upcoming by-election.
Speaking in a phone interview with the Nile Post, the Deputy Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, John Kigyagi Arimpa, confirmed that the candidates were summoned by the party chairman to meet in Kampala on Sunday.
He emphasized that the purpose of the meeting is to offer guidance on the campaigns, particularly on how to avoid tensions related to ethnicity, religion, and other sectarian issues.
"The candidates have paused their campaigns to meet the party chairman for guidance, ensuring that they can conduct their campaigns amicably without causing stress," Kigyagi stated.
The candidates are expected to conduct COVID-19 tests on Friday before meeting with the president. Kigyagi further clarified that while the meeting will disrupt their campaign schedule, the party will ensure they compensate by covering more sub-counties per day upon resumption.
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In response to rumors that the NRM might prefer to field only one candidate in the by-election, Kigyagi firmly denied these claims.
He explained that all the candidates had been duly nominated and had paid their non-refundable fees, making the issue of reducing the number of candidates irrelevant.
"The candidates expressed interest, were nominated, and have paid their fees. If the party wanted to field one candidate, that decision should have been made before nominations. The issue of having just one candidate is not on the agenda," Kigyagi clarified.
The Kisoro Woman MP seat fell vacant following the passing of Sarah Mateke, who previously served as both the district Woman MP and State Minister for Defence and Veteran Affairs.
The victor of the NRM primaries will represent the party in the upcoming by-election, facing competition from the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the Uganda People's Congress (UPC).
