Kabale High Court has set November 13, 2026, to deliver its ruling in an election petition filed by Asgario Turyagyenda challenging the victory of incumbent Bukimbiri County Member of Parliament Eddie Kwizera Wagahu in Kisoro District.
Turyagyenda alleges that his supporters and polling agents were beaten and harassed during the voting process.
He also accuses Kwizera of voter bribery and alleges that polling officials manipulated election results in favour of the incumbent, contrary to Electoral Commission guidelines.
Justice Farouk Lubega on Thursday said cross-examinations had been completed, and the ruling would be delivered by email on November 13, 2026.
Justice Lubega also informed the court that a ruling in a separate petition filed by FDC candidate James Owebeyi Mugyemano, who is also challenging Kwizera’s victory, would be delivered by email on Monday, October 19, 2026.
In Election Petition No. 02 of 2026, Owebeyi alleges that Kwizera influenced the removal of his name from the voters’ register, thereby preventing him from participating in the election.
Owebeyi says he notified the Kisoro District Returning Officer, Dan Nayebare, about the alleged irregularity and requested that the election be postponed until the matter was resolved. However, he claims that no action was taken.
He cites the postponement of elections in other constituencies, including Ibanda and Kibanda North in Kiryandongo District, where voting was delayed because of errors in electoral materials.
Owebeyi further argues that proceeding with the election denied him a fair opportunity to contest, causing financial and reputational losses that he estimates at 674.5 million shillings.
He is asking the court to nullify Kwizera’s victory, order a fresh election, and direct Kwizera and the Electoral Commission to compensate him for the alleged losses and meet the costs of the petition.
During the January 15, 2026, general elections, Kwizera retained his seat as an independent candidate after polling 14,761 votes.
His closest challenger, National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer Asgario Turyagyenda, garnered 12,553 votes, while Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate James Owebeyi Mugyemano received 102 votes.
In early April 2026, Turyagyenda filed Election Petition No. 01 of 2026 at Kabale High Court, seeking to nullify Kwizera’s victory over alleged electoral irregularities-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
