By Sadique Bamwita
ENTEBBE
The Wakiso District Woman Member of Parliament Aspirant Rosemary Kirabira Nalongo who filed a petition challenging Beth Kayesu Natukunda’s victory, has final lost the petition after the NRM Tribunal found no ground in it.
The petition was heard by Wakiso NRM Tribunal committee headed by Elton Mugabi, Stanley Kangye (member) and Blair Atwebembeire (member) and the ruling was delivered by John Musiime, the chairperson NRM Election Disputes Tribunal.
The petition arose from NRM party primaries held on July 17, 2025 for Wakiso Woman MP. After losing the NRM party primaries, Nalongo petitioned the Wakiso district party tribunal citing irregularities orchestrated by MP hopeful Nakunda, Wakiso District Registrar, District Administrator, Assistant RDC Kasangati, Deputy RDC Makindye/ Sebagabo Municipality and Wakiso Resident District Commissioner- Justine Mbabazi.
According to the outcome of the party primaries, Nalongo obtained 24,867 votes and decided to challenge the winner of the polls Kayesu who obtained 46,792 votes citing irregularities including multiple voting, threatening her agents, not giving them declaration forms on top of non-verification of eligible voters. On this issue, Kirabira had sought declaration from the party tribunal that the party primaries were not conducted in accordance with the guidelines and principles of free and fair elections. She wanted the party tribunal to declare her as the rightful winner of the party primaries or alternatively conduct fresh elections.
Nalongo contends that the electoral process was marred by significant irregularities including disenfranchisement, voter bribery, multiple voting, inflation of votes, falsification of results, denial of access to Declaration forms to her agents in a few polling centers and other acts that compromise transparency and integrity of the exercise in Makindye Ssabagabo, Kasanjje and Kasangati villages.
She avers that the District Registrar nullified her votes in Kasanjje and Makindye Ssabagabo but as he was announcing, he included the one of Makindye Ssabagabo. She also avers that these irregularities greatly affected the outcome of the election and sought a declaration that the election was not free and fair.
However, the NRM Tribunal noted that Kirabira didn’t file affidavits and relies on the averment in the petition.
The winner of NRM party primaries denied all the allegations asserting that the election was free and fair, transparent and conducted in accordance with NRM guidelines.
Deputy RDC Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality, Simon Peter Mawerere rubbished the petition and contends that he didn’t connive with Kayesu to help her win the election. However, Mawerere, didn’t appear before the Tribunal for cross-examination.
According to the head of Wakiso NRM elections tribunal, both the petitioner and Kayesu made oral submissions in support of their respective cases which the Tribunal heard and considered before arriving at it’s final decision. And that for purposes of brevity, the tribunal found no need to reiterate the contents of such submissions.
The ruling dated August 20, 2025, delivered by John Musiime, the chairperson NRM Election Disputes reads in parts that :
The Tribunal found no sufficient evidence to establish that the overall conduct of the election violated the NRM election regulations in a manner that render the process fundamentally unfair.
The petitioner alleged multiple voting in Makindye/ Ssabagabo and Kasangati but failed to present verifiable records, voters registers or witnesses testimony sufficient to prove the claim to the satisfaction of the Tribunal.
On unlawful obstruction of her agents, she didn’t provide sworn affidavits from the affected agents and their names and specific polling stations were not clearly identified.
On the irregularities affecting the polls, the alleged irregularities occurred in a few polling stations and would not on their face value have materially altered the margin of 21,925 votes between the two candidates.
On entitlement to remedies sought by the petitioner, the Tribunal says she failed to prove the allegations to the required standard and therefore not entitled to the relief sought.
Lastly, the Tribunal found no sufficient basis to make the declarations sought by the petitioner or in the alternative set aside the election or to order fresh elections.’
“The petition is hereby dismissed. The declaration of Beth Kayesu Nakunda as the dully elected NRM flag bearer for Woman MP Wakiso district is hereby upheld,” concludes the Tribunal.
