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Basajabalaba and officially stamped by the Electoral Commission was seen, confirming his withdrawal from the LC V Chairman race
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Joshua Nahamya
Bushenyi
The political landscape in Bushenyi District has dramatically shifted following the official withdrawal of the incumbent Local Council V (LC V) Chairman, Jafari Basajabalaba, from the forthcoming general elections.
Basajabalaba, who had initially planned to contest as an independent candidate, officially tendered his resignation letter as a candidate to the Electoral Commission (EC) on October 30, 2025.
Conceding defeat and Presidential intervention
The incumbent’s withdrawal follows a significant protest loss during the July 2025 National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries. Basajabalaba was defeated by popular radio presenter Prosper Twebaze, who won by a landslide margin, polling 66,101 votes (86.2%) against Basajabalaba’s 10,597 votes (13.8%).
Despite the defeat, Basajabalaba initially refused to concede and opted to run as an independent, threatening to split the vote. However, after engaging in high-level consultations, including a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni in September, he was reportedly advised and agreed to step down.
Public confusion and official confirmation
The official withdrawal only materialized recently, prompted by sustained public pressure and confusion among the electorate. Locals demanded clarity on whether the incumbent was still in the race, which would have complicated the ballot and diluted support.
On October 30, a letter signed by Basajabalaba and officially stamped by the Electoral Commission was seen, confirming his withdrawal from the LC V Chairman race.
The withdrawal of Jafari Basajabalaba officially leaves people of Bushenyi happy and Prosper Twebaze standing unopposed for the Bushenyi LC V Chairman seat, effectively positioning him as the district's next political leader in the 2026 general election. This means his name will not appear on the ballot paper to confuse the voters on 15th January 2026.
Torch Media Africa
