By KT Reporter
Caroline Kamusime Muhweezi, the incumbent Rukiga District Woman Member of Parliament, has lost her election petition challenging the victory of Dr. Sylvia Alineitwe Mwanaki. Dr. Alineitwe, former Managing Director of the National Water and Sewerage Corporation, was declared the winner in the recent National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries with 43,308 votes (77.1%), while Kamusime garnered 12,866 votes (22.9%).
Kamusiime filed a petition with the party Electoral Commission Tribunal, accusing Dr. Alineitwe of voter bribery. She cited incidents at Sindi polling station in Mparo Town Council, where voters were filmed allegedly being bribed to line up behind Alineitwe’s portrait. Kamusime also claimed that some polling officials received bribes through mobile money to favor Dr. Alineitwe.
However, in a ruling released on Tuesday evening, the tribunal panel—headed by Ronald Tusingwiire and Patrick Rutembana, and signed by tribunal chairman John Musiime—upheld Alineitwe’s victory, stating that Kamusime’s claims lacked evidence. Speaking to our reporter on Wednesday morning, Dr. Alineitwe welcomed the ruling, describing Kamusime’s petition as a waste of time.
She urged Kamusime to join her in the spirit of party unity and said she would now focus on mobilizing support for the 2026 general elections. The same tribunal also upheld the victory of Betty Namara Mutabazi Kabata as the NRM Party Kanungu District Woman MP flag bearer.
Namara had garnered 40,719 votes, defeating incumbent Hon. Kishaba Patience Nkunda, who polled 27,132 votes. Other candidates included Esther Majambere Musoke with 14,606 votes, Honest Kansime t Mugisha with 10,086 votes, Shilah Kyasimire Baribumpe with 1,007 votes, and Prossy Akampurira with 556 votes.
Majambere had petitioned the tribunal, citing voter bribery and harassment of her agents and supporters. However, the tribunal ruled that her claims also lacked evidence.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
