Minister Namuganza wins round one, as NRM tribunal orders partial re-run in Bukono

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In a dramatic turn in Namutumba district-based Bukono constituency’s heated political contest, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) election tribunal has set aside the party’s July 17, declaration of Emmanuel Maganda Katooko as its flag-bearer for the Member of Parliament seat come the 2026 General Election. The tribunal has now ordered a partial reelection in Kibaale sub-county and Kibaale town council.

This follows a petition filed by incumbent MP and housing state minister Persis Namuganza, who alleged widespread electoral malpractice, fraud, forgery and procedural violations during the party primaries, particularly in Kibaale sub-county and Kibaale town council.

Namuganza contested the official tally that saw her rival Maganda declared winner with 32,226 votes to her 17,324.

The ruling

However, in a strongly worded ruling delivered on August 19, the tribunal chairperson, John Musiime, set aside Maganda’s declaration as flag-bearer, saying the tallying process was “fatally flawed” and not in line with NRM’s electoral regulations.

Namuganza claimed her agents were chased from polling stations in those areas and that no voting took place, yet results were fraudulently declared.

She also pointed to chaos at the tally centre that abruptly halted the official counting process after the Woman MP results were announced.

The tribunal agreed that while voting did occur in Kibaale, as evidenced by signed Declaration of Results (DR) Forms, some bearing signatures from Namuganza’s own agents, the process that followed was deeply flawed.

Security officials, including senior Police and army officers, testified that tallying was aborted and all materials transferred to the NRM Secretariat in Kampala.

Despite Maganda’s defence, backed by DR forms, video evidence and a Police report disputing claims that he was found with electoral materials, the tribunal found the final declaration issued on July 19, in Namutumba "highly questionable," as it was made without a lawful, transparent tally in the presence of candidates or their agents.

“The tallying exercise failed to meet the standards under Regulation 41 of the NRM Election Regulations, 2025,” the ruling read in parts, noting that declaration without a lawful, public tally is a grave breach.

As a remedy, the tribunal ordered a repeat election exclusively in Kibaale and Kibaale within 21 days.

The overall flag-bearer for Bukono will be determined based on the outcome of this fresh vote.

The ruling is a big victory for Namuganza, who had insisted she was denied victory through deliberate manipulation.

She claimed that with proper tallying, she would have secured over 35,000 votes.