RUKUNGIRI, UGANDA — Sam Mugumya, a former aide to opposition leader Kizza Besigye, has created a schism within the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) after announcing his bid for the Rukungiri municipality parliamentary seat. His candidacy has been publicly endorsed by Besigye’s wife, Winnie Byanyima, a move that has divided party loyalists.
“As a resident of Rukungiri municipality, I am coming out early to full-heartedly endorse Sam Mugumya,” said Byanyima, who is also the executive director of UNAIDS. “Sam is a fearless defender of human rights and a champion of justice and democracy. Sam will be an effective representative.”
Mugumya’s entry into the race puts him in competition with at least four other PFF figures, including Ingrid Turinawe Kamateneti, a leader in the party’s women’s league, and Roland Mugume Kaginda, a former Rukungiri legislator.
The political dynamics in the constituency have been further complicated by the recent NRM primary, in which Lt. Gen. Henry Tumukunde, a former presidential candidate, defeated the incumbent, Dr. Elisa Rutahigwa. Tumukunde’s victory sets up a high-stakes general election contest against the PFF’s eventual flag bearer.
Mugumya is a well-known opposition figure who spent eight years in Ndolo Military Prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo after his arrest in October 2014. Following his release in October 2022, he joined the PFF.
Political analyst Charles Rwomushana said Mugumya’s candidacy could either galvanize support or disrupt the PFF’s traditional base. He noted that despite Mugumya’s strong background in activism, he will need to navigate internal party rivalries.
Tumukunde, a former Rubabo County MP, said his decision to contest for a parliamentary seat was an adaptation to changing times. “This is not about stepping down. It is about adapting to the moment,” he said.
Turinawe, who ran as an independent in the 2021 general election, also commented on the race, saying her political record speaks for itself. “What hurts [the people of Rukungiri] currently is the incarceration of Dr. Besigye,” she said, noting that her fight for his release will be a key issue in the campaign.
In the 2021 election, NRM’s Rutahigwa won the seat with 5,588 votes, followed by Dr. Wallen Tumwine Nuwagaba of FDC with 3,584 votes, and Turinawe with 2,266 votes.
