The minister of state for Housing, Persis Namuganza, has been given a fresh opportunity to contest the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag for Bukono County in Namutumba district. The NRM tribunal, in a ruling delivered today, nullified the election of Emmanuel Maganda, who had previously been declared the winner of the party’s primary election for the constituency.
Namuganza, a prominent figure in the NRM and a seasoned politician, challenged Maganda’s victory, alleging irregularities in the electoral process. She argued that the results from her strongholds—Kibaale Town Council and Kibaale Sub County—were wrongfully excluded by Returning Officer Richard Mwanja.
According to Mwanja’s earlier tally, Maganda secured 32,226 votes, while Namuganza trailed with 17,324 votes. However, Namuganza contended that the inclusion of votes from the two excluded areas would have significantly boosted her total to approximately 35,000, potentially altering the outcome of the election.
The tribunal, after reviewing the evidence, sided with Namuganza, declaring Maganda’s election void due to procedural flaws. The panel ruled that the exclusion of votes from Kibaale Town Council and Kibaale Sub County undermined the integrity of the process.
To address this, the tribunal ordered fresh polls to be conducted in these two electoral areas within 21 days.
“The repeat of elections only in Kibaale sub county and Kibaale Town Council is necessary so the final outcome reflects a lawful and transparent tally,” the tribunal stated in its ruling.
This decision marks a critical moment for Namuganza, who has been a key figure in Uganda’s political and governance spheres.
In a related development, the tribunal also addressed a separate petition by Betty Nakisita Mpongo, who contested the re-election of incumbent Mariam Naigaga as the Woman MP for Namutumba District. The tribunal dismissed Mpongo’s petition, upholding Naigaga’s victory and affirming her position as the NRM flagbearer for the role.
With the fresh polls set to take place within three weeks, all eyes will be on Namuganza and Maganda as they vie for the NRM flag in what promises to be a closely watched contest.
