Jonard Asiimwe Wins NRM Western Region Vice Chair Seat.

Engineer Jonard Asiimwe has been declared the duly elected NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Region, securing a commanding 4,044 votes (58.9%) against State Minister for ICT Chris Baryomunsi, who garnered 2,303 votes (33.6%), according to results released by the NRM Electoral Commission on Wednesday. 

The announcement was made by Dr. Tanga Odoi, Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, following a highly competitive race in which 6,861 votes were cast across eight candidates.

Minister Chris Baryomunsi, once seen as a powerful kingmaker in Kigezi after former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, criticized the process, claiming the election “was not free and fair.”

He accused his opponents of vote-buying and other forms of malpractice, though he provided no evidence to substantiate the allegations.

Political observers, however, point to Asiimwe’s intensive grassroots mobilization strategy as the key factor behind his victory.

Eng. Jonard Asiimwe

Asiimwe’s campaign deployed billboards in nearly every district across the Western Region and leveraged support from influential mobilizers, including Minister Balaam Barugahara, to consolidate his reach.

Youth and Children Affairs Minister Balaam Barugahara congratulated Asiimwe on his landslide win, praising his determination and outreach.

“Congratulations Comrade Akiiki Eng Jonard on winning the NRM Vice Chairperson for Western Region seat,” said Barugahara.

“Appreciation to Hon. Baryomunsi for tirelessly promoting NRM across Uganda throughout your term — your efforts are valued,” Balaam posted on social media

Analysts say Asiimwe’s triumph weakens Baryomunsi’s political stature ahead of the 2026 general elections, particularly in Kanungu District, his home turf, where he faces re-election.

Baryomunsi, once viewed as a central power broker within the NRM, now confronts a diminished influence within both the Western NRM bloc and the national party structure.

Asiimwe’s win signals a possible generational shift within the ruling party, with younger, dynamic leaders consolidating

Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki is, a reknown engineer and Hoima City NRM Chairman. He ignited his campaign for Vice Chairperson of the National Resistance Movement’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) for Western Uganda. In a spirited gathering, where he unveiled a 29-page manifesto, “Advancing a Legacy of Purposeful Transformation”, a blueprint pulsing with ambition to reshape the region and nation as the 2026 elections loom.

Asiimwe, a PhD candidate in Oil and Gas Stakeholder Engagement, casts himself as a generational torchbearer, fusing the wisdom of Uganda’s founders with the dynamism of its youth. His manifesto, a tapestry of science, grassroots grit, and NRM ideology, pledges to amplify President Yoweri Museveni’s legacy while turbocharging Uganda’s Vision 2040 and the party’s 2026 goals. “Western Uganda will be a beacon of innovation and unity,” he roared, “a powerhouse of progress driven by our people’s dreams.”