RUKUNGIRI: Tumukunde Faces Stiff Resistance from Ingrid Turinawe as Besigye Jailing Fuels Political Tension

Bishop of North Kigezi, Onesmus Asiimwe, summoned Tumukunde and Ingrid before the congregation at Kinyansano Cathedral on Christmas Day

Rukungiri Municipality is shaping up as one of the most politically charged battlegrounds ahead of the general elections, with Henry Tumukunde facing stiff resistance from opposition challenger Ingrid Turinawe Kamateneti, amid growing anger in Kigezi over the arrest and continued detention of veteran opposition figure Kizza Besigye.

The heightened political tension provided the backdrop to a rare public intervention by the Church on Christmas Day, when the Bishop of North Kigezi, Onesmus Asiimwe, summoned the two rivals before the congregation at Kinyansano Cathedral and urged them to conduct peaceful campaigns.

While the encounter projected unity at the altar, it also reflected a hardening contest on the ground, where Besigye’s jailing has become a defining political issue.

Besigye is held at Luzira Prison on charges related to threatening national security and the life of President Museveni.

Besigye, a native of the Kigezi region and a heavyweight in national opposition politics, commands deep loyalty among voters, and his continued detention has intensified anti-government sentiment, particularly among opposition supporters.

President Museveni recently dispatched Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and Security Minister Jim Muhwezi to engage local leaders and explain the government’s position on Besigye’s predicament.

However, the outreach has done little to ease tensions, with the issue continuing to dominate political discourse across Rukungiri and the wider Kigezi sub-region.

The Besigye factor could work in favour of Kamateneti, the flag bearer of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), by galvanising protest votes against the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), which Tumukunde represents.

In his Christmas sermon, Bishop Asiimwe warned that the escalating rivalry “must not descend into violence”, reminding supporters that “elections are not war” and that “political competition should not undermine unity and development” in Rukungiri Municipality.

Both Tumukunde and Kamateneti publicly pledged to “maintain peace” during the campaigns and to work together after the elections, regardless of the outcome.

Unity

Addressing the congregation, Gen. Tumukunde thanked Christians for reaching Christmas Day and praised the Church’s contribution to community development, pledging support towards the completion of Kinyansano Cathedral.

He also called for “prayers for Besigye”, acknowledging the sensitivity surrounding his detention.

Gen. Tumukunde urged supporters across the political divide to avoid chaos, insisting that leadership should be decided at the ballot box.

In a conciliatory gesture toward his rival, he said he was ready to work with Kamateneti after the elections.

“If I defeat you in 2026, I dare you to join NRM. And if you defeat me, I will line behind you so that we can join hands for the development of Rukungiri Municipality,” he said.

For her part, Kamateneti said the campaign period had been marked by “intimidation and attacks” against her, but vowed that her supporters would “remain disciplined and peaceful”.

She said the “unresolved Besigye issue had deepened political emotions” in the region and called for “tolerance” as the contest intensified.

The Christmas Day encounter underscored both the fierce Tumukunde–Kamateneti face-off and the growing influence of Besigye’s detention on electoral politics in Kigezi, as Rukungiri heads into what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched races in the region.