By Henry Okello
TORORO
The Tororo Chief Magistrate’s Court has dismissed Sarah Achieng Opendi’s request for a vote recount in 11 contested polling stations, upholding Akoth Angella as the duly elected Woman Member of Parliament for Tororo District.
The ruling, delivered by Chief Magistrate Nambatya Irene on Tuesday morning, 27th January, 2026 found that the integrity of the ballots was compromised as two of the eleven contested ballot boxes were confirmed to have broken seals, and four others presented signs of tampering.
Opendi’s application for the recount, filed last week, cited allegations of irregularities and discrepancies during the vote tallying at the Tororo Electoral Commission offices on January 15, 2026.
Despite the evidence presented, the court concluded that the issues surrounding the tampered boxes precluded any possibility of a fair recount.
The contested polling stations included notable locations such as Kidoko central, Kanang Church Of Uganda, Papakol Trading Center, Kipangor Market, Bolimoo Trading Center in Maundo, Ticaf Mosque(A-M), Pentecostal Assembly of God Church of God Ogiroi, Buganga primary school, Nyambulie, Kainja primary school, and Aturukuku primary school, Maguria, Western Division which were at the center of Opendi’s claims.
Speaking after the ruling, Opendi expressed her disappointment but indicated that she was not surprised given the findings of ballot tampering.
She accused Dr. Tanga Odoi, the Chairperson of the NRM National Electoral Commission, of orchestrating a scheme to rig her out of the electoral victory, alleging a collusion with security personnel to manipulate the results.
Opendi, who maintains that she received overwhelming support from the electorate, vowed that the struggle for justice is not over, warning those who celebrate the court’s ruling to do so cautiously.
Akoth Angella, the newly elected MP, celebrated the ruling as a triumph for the people of Tororo, thanking her supporters and viewing the court’s decision as validation of their collective choice.
She pledged to continue contesting Opendi’s influence in the political arena until her opponent opts for retirement from public life.
Akoth Angella was declared winner with 78,542 votes edging Opendi who secured 78,507 votes a margin of 35votes, in a tight race that attracted eight contenders.
