At least 10 people have expressed interest in the Ruhama County parliamentary seat in Ntungamo district. The seat fell vacant on November 3rd following the death of William Beijukye Zinkurateire.
Zinkurateire succumbed to Hepatitis B, a viral infection at Nsambya Hospital. Section 4 (c) of the Parliamentary Elections of 2001 election act requires Electoral Commission to organize by-elections within sixty days upon the death of a legislator.
Although Electoral Commission is yet to announce the date for the Ruhama County MP by-elections, at least ten are warming up to take the seat. They include among others the deceased's wife, Allen Beijukye, his brother, Johnson Rumanywa Zinkuratiire, Santurina Namanya Kachene, the manager Boona FM in Rukungiri, Dr. Bazinzi Natamba, Yonah Musinguzi Bikwatsizehi, the former Ntungamo municipality MP, Moses Kahima , Adens Rutaro Ntare and Kenneth Kagundu, a member of the Forum for Democratic Change-FDC party.
Others are Engineer Jackson Mubangizi Kabikire, an official from Uganda National Bureau of Standards-UNBS, Ashel Mupenzi, the Rweikiniro sub county Councilor, Brenda Ankunda Mutetsi, Muheebwa Anold Kongo from Red Ribbon, Dr. Bazinzi Natamba, Boora Erick Musafiri, January Bamanzi Zibaagwe and Phillip Mpamire Rwakikambuzi.
Over the weekend, the Ruhama County NRM Party chairman, Joseph Musaka convened a meeting with members of the deceased's family to select and endorse a candidate who will replace the legislator and implement his programs.
They were shocked to hear that Johnson Rumanywa Zinkuratiire had already announced himself over the local and social media that he is the preferred successor of his brother.
