By Aaron Okotel/Weswa Ronnie
MBALE
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Election Disputes Tribunal has nullified the declaration of Wazemba Hussein as the party’s flag bearer for Bungokho North Constituency, Mbale city, citing deliberate manipulation of results, partiality and misconduct of electoral officers, and targeted intimidation of voters and agents.
In its ruling delivered on Friday 15th – 08 – 2025, the Panel headed by Lawyer Ms. Diana Kasabiiti, with Lawyers Ampaire Tumwebaze and Hillary Kabiswa as members, instead declared Wanyenya Shafiga as the duly elected candidate.
The Tribunal’s findings revealed that the irregularities substantially affected the result and gave the Respondent a winning margin that he was not entitled to receive.
“The Petitioner’s main point of contention is that there was gross manipulation of votes and DR forms by the Respondent, in connivance with NRM Electoral Commission district registrars. The Tribunal finds that the DR forms attached by the Petitioner in respect of Namakolo village in Bunamoli parish, Wanaswa, Bumuduli, Butomeka, Kilayi and Madenge villages are properly supported by DR forms together with original appointment letters of the agents of the Petitioner in those specific stations,” reads the decision.
This Petition arises from the NRM Primary Elections held on 17th July 2025 for Member of Parliament, Bungokho North Constituency, Mbale City. The Petitioner, Wanyenya Shafiga, who lost the election to Wazemba Hussein (Respondent) scored 14,035 votes against the Respondent’s 15,381 votes leaving a margin of 1,346 votes.
The Petitioner contended that the 2025 NRM Primaries for Member of Parliament in Bungokho North Constituency, Mbale City was marred with irregularities and does not reflect the will of the people and was instead achieved through a coordinated campaign of vote manipulation in connivance with some Registrars in the NRM Electoral commission.
She claims that the forgeries were evident in some polling stations/villages in Bunamoli, Kilayi, Madenge and Lusamenta parishes. She filed witness statements by Kissa Fred, Wandera Muhammed, Madoi William, Negesa Annet, Wazemba Hussein, Zozisis Kevin, Wandera Sharif and Buzeze Alex. She filed written submissions which set out the said irregularities and adopted the same during the hearing.
