Journalists in Hoima were on Thursday blocked from accessing the courtroom to cover proceedings in a petition challenging the election of Hoima City Woman Member of Parliament Asinansi Nyakato.
The hearing of the petition filed by former National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Princess Diana Jane Mugenyi got underway at the High Court in Hoima, but journalists who had turned up to cover the proceedings were stopped from entering the courtroom.
The decision has sparked concern among journalists, who questioned why they were being denied access to proceedings that are ordinarily of public interest. Allan Mwesigwa, a reporter with NBS, said the restriction had disrupted plans by journalists who had pitched the court proceedings to their editors.
Mwesigwa said journalists need to be present in court to follow proceedings directly rather than rely solely on accounts from lawyers representing the parties.
Ambrose Nuwagaba Katoto of TV West described the restriction as an infringement on journalists’ right to access information and called on the Chief Justice to intervene.
Flavia Ajok, a reporter with Spice Media FM in Hoima City, said she had reported for work prepared to cover the hearing after pitching the story, only to be stopped from entering the courtroom.She questioned why journalists in Hoima were being treated differently from their colleagues covering similar election petitions elsewhere.
Robert Gard Tusiime, Chairperson of the Hoima Journalists Association, described the situation at the High Court as unusual and questioned why journalists should not be allowed to cover the election petition. An official at the court, who spoke to URN on condition of anonymity, said the restriction was based on a directive she had received not to allow journalists into the courtroom.
The official said journalists would instead have to obtain information about what transpired in court from lawyers representing the parties. The proceedings are being held under tight security, with a heavy deployment of police officers at the court entrance and around the premises.
The petition was filed by Mugenyi, who lost the January 15 election to Nyakato of the People’s Front for Freedom. Nyakato was declared the winner with 17,142 votes against Mugenyi’s 15,197, giving her a margin of 1,945 votes. National Unity Platform candidate Bridget Kiiza polled 1,362 votes, while independent candidate Nalumaga Sylvia Balyesiima received 1,009 votes. The results were gazetted on February 6, 2026.
Through her lawyers, led by Brian Rubaihayo of Mwesigwa Rukutana Advocates, Mugenyi is asking the High Court to nullify Nyakato’s election and order a fresh election. In her petition, Mugenyi alleges several electoral irregularities, including bribery, voter manipulation, ballot stuffing and non-compliance with electoral laws.
She cites alleged discrepancies in the number of ballot papers issued and votes counted at several polling stations. At Sir Tito Winyi Stadium polling station, for example, Mugenyi alleges that 194 ballot papers were issued despite 525 registered voters. At St Mary’s Primary School, she claims 341 people voted, but only 173 ballot papers were counted.
At Hoima Boma polling station, she alleges that 118 ballot papers were issued to 471 registered voters. The petition also points to alleged inconsistencies in declaration of results forms, including an unsigned form at Hoima Rotary polling station and missing details concerning valid, invalid and rejected votes at Kitara Secondary School Lower.
Mugenyi further alleges ballot stuffing at some polling stations, including Mparo Gasani, where she claims 350 ballot papers were counted despite only 146 voters having cast their ballots. She also alleges that the number of votes recorded at Kasasa Catholic Church polling station exceeded the number of voters who participated. The petition further accuses Nyakato and her agents of voter bribery.
Mugenyi alleges that Nyakato gave Shs500,000 to elderly voters in Ruyanja Cell, Kibingo Ward, on January 6, 2026. She also alleges that an agent distributed cash at Budaka Primary School on January 14 and provided money and alcohol to voters at Kikwatamigo Trading Centre.
Mugenyi also alleges that some voters were transferred from neighbouring Kikuube District to Hoima City using their national identification details after allegedly being misled that the information was needed for development-related documentation. She claims the affected voters were subsequently registered at polling stations including Busiisi Primary School, Hoima Library and Kihomboza.
Mugenyi argues that the alleged irregularities substantially affected the outcome of the election, given the 1,945-vote margin separating her from Nyakato. She is asking the court to invalidate the election, nullify Nyakato’s victory, and order a fresh election. The hearing was still ongoing at the time of publishing this story, with Justice Charles Kasibayo presiding-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
