Namuganza win disputed as four Namutumba candidates file court petitions

From left, Betty Nakisita, Persis Namuganza, and Yona Kayogera. Their parliamentary election victories are being challenged in court.

Four candidates who lost parliamentary races in Namutumba District have filed petitions at the High Court in Iganga, challenging the election of newly declared Members of Parliament over alleged irregularities in the January 15 polls.

The petitioners cite election violence, voter bribery, vote rigging and pre-ticked ballot papers, raising fresh concerns about the credibility of the electoral process in the Busoga sub-region.

Among those challenged is the Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Ms Persis Namuganza, an independent candidate elected as Bukono Constituency MP.

Her victory is being contested by Mr Emmanuel Maganda Katoko of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), who accuses her of election violence, vote rigging and bribery.

In Busiki North Constituency, Mr Isiko Asupasa Mpongo (NRM) is contesting the victory of independent candidate Mr Yona Kayogera, alleging that the results were manipulated.

Another petition has been filed by Ms Mariam Naigaga (NRM), who lost to independent candidate Ms Betty Nakisita Mpongo. Ms Naigaga accuses her opponent of vote rigging.

Incumbent MP Mr Paul Akamba, who has represented Busiki Constituency since 2016, has also petitioned court challenging the victory of Mr Waiswa Azalwa Joel, an independent candidate, citing what he describes as widespread irregularities, including election violence and manipulation of results.

Ms Namuganza dismissed the petitions, alleging they are politically motivated and linked to internal power struggles within the ruling party.

“It is Anita Among [parliament speaker] who told them to petition against us because we defeated her and her allies. I am not afraid, and I am ready and determined to win the case,” Ms Namuganza said.

She said she had assured her supporters that she would retain her seat.

“I assured the people of Bukono not to worry. I will be sworn in and nothing will stop me from winning the petition since I won the January 15 election,” she added.

Ms Namuganza further argued that the outcome in Namutumba was not surprising, saying the President had previously cited the district as an example when discussing alleged irregularities in party primaries.

“It was not a surprise to the President when he heard that independent, NRM-leaning candidates won all parliamentary seats in Namutumba because he was aware that there was vote rigging during the party primary polls,” she said.

Speaker Among had yet to comment on the allegations by press time Tuesday morning.

Ms Nakisita also rejected the allegations against her, insisting her victory reflected voter confidence.

“I did not rig votes; people voted for me wholeheartedly because they wanted to test my service after having tried Honorable Naigaga, who they felt had betrayed them for ten years,” Ms Nakisita said.

Mr Kayogera said he was not concerned about the petition challenging his victory.

“I am not scared to hear that Speaker Among is fueling the petition in Namutumba. For me, we are at loggerheads with Speaker Among because she has never loved me since my first term as Member of Parliament for Busiki North Constituency,” Mr Kayogera said.

‘We’re tired of political fights’

The petitions have triggered mixed reactions among residents, with some attributing the disputes to political rivalry between Speaker Anita Among and First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga.

Mr Sadam Tenwa, a resident of Kasedere Village in Namutumba Sub-county, said political divisions were undermining development in the district.

“We are tired of political fights; our communities are not developing because of the politics of camps,” Mr Tenwa said.

He added that political alignments were influencing electoral disputes.

“Most of the NRM candidates who lost the parliamentary polls succumbed to Speaker Among’s directives, while the independents who won are said to be aligned to Ms Kadaga,” he said.

Another resident, Ms Mutesi Nabirye, questioned the legitimacy of some petitions, arguing that voters had already made their choice.

“The incumbent Ms Naigaga of NRM was initially in third position but allegedly rigged votes and was announced second, losing to independent Nakisita. Even Mr Akamba was rejected as voters chose Mr Waiswa Azalwa Joel instead,” Ms Nabirye told Monitor on Monday.

She added that some candidates had already faced controversy during party primaries.

Ms Nabirye alleged that Ms Naigaga rigged votes and bribed NRM Electoral Commission chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi, while Mr Akamba obtained the party card through court.

Mr Joseph Nabongho, a resident of Mawungwe Village in Kizuba Sub-county, said irregularities at the tallying stage raised concerns about the credibility of the results.

“Whoever was declared winner by the Returning Officer did not actually win the election because the tally clerk was knowingly presenting falsified documents,” Mr Nabongho said.

He was referring to a recent court case in which a Grade One Magistrate sentenced a tally clerk to 18 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to forging electoral returns for LCIII chairperson elections in Namutumba District.

Another resident, who declined to be named, alleged that security forces were misused during the elections.

“Police and UPDF soldiers who were deployed to provide security in the district helped Namuganza to rig votes because they supported and protected her as she allegedly rigged votes,” the resident said.

The High Court is yet to set hearing dates for the petitions.