At least ten cabinet ministers lost their parliamentary seats in a surprising turn of events during the January 15, 2026 general elections, which also saw National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Yoweri Museveni declared President-elect.
Ugandans went to the polls in line with the Constitution, which requires that every five years the President and Members of Parliament renew their mandate through universal adult suffrage conducted by secret ballot.
Among the high-profile casualties was David Bahati, Minister of State for Trade, who lost the Ndorwa West parliamentary seat. After failing to secure the NRM nomination, Bahati ran as an independent candidate but was unable to reclaim his seat.
In Lira City, Minister of Gender, Labour and Social Development Betty Amongi was defeated by Minister of Health Jane Ruth Aceng. Amongi had abandoned her Oyam constituency to contest for the Lira City Woman MP seat on a Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) ticket, a gamble that ultimately failed.
In Bududa District, former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu lost to NRM’s Agnes Shiuma, who garnered 20,072 votes against Nandutu’s 18,921.
Similarly, in Moyo District, State Minister for Primary Education Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu was defeated by NRM’s Benedetta Chandia Kodili after failing to win the party primaries and opting to run as an independent.
Other ministers were not spared. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Regional Affairs) John Mulimba lost the Samia Bugwe North seat, while Minister of State for International Affairs Henry Okello Oryem was defeated in Chua County, Kitgum District, by independent candidate John Clavin Okoya.
State Minister for Environment Beatrice Anywar also lost her seat to Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Dennis Onekalit Amere, who polled 6,176 votes against Anywar’s 5,013.
The shake-up extended to the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs. Senior Minister Peter Lokeris lost the Chekwii East County seat to Stephen Ilukol, while State Minister Florence Namboozo was defeated in the Sironko District Woman MP race.
These results represent a significant upheaval in Uganda’s political landscape, underscoring that even senior cabinet ministers are not immune to shifting voter sentiment. The elections have ushered in new representatives across several constituencies and signal a notable change in voter priorities and political allegiances.
