The National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate in the recent Hoima City Woman Member of Parliament race, Princess Diana Jane Mugenyi, has lined up four witnesses to testify during the hearing of her election petition at the High Court in Hoima.
Mugenyi lost the January 15, 2026 election to Asinansi Nyakato of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), who was declared the winner with 17,142 votes against Mugenyi’s 15,197. The 1,945-vote margin separated the two candidates.
But 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 between the number of ballot papers issued, the number of voters who cast ballots and the votes counted at several polling stations. At Sir Tito Winyi Stadium polling station, for instance, Mugenyi alleges that only 194 ballot papers were issued despite the station having 525 registered voters.
At St Mary’s Primary School polling station, she claims 341 people voted, while only 173 ballot papers were counted. At Hoima Boma polling station, Mugenyi alleges that 118 ballot papers were issued to a station with 471 registered voters.
The petition also points to alleged inconsistencies in declaration of results forms. Mugenyi cites an unsigned declaration form at Hoima Rotary polling station and missing details on valid, invalid and rejected votes at Kitara Secondary School Lower polling station. She further alleges that ballot stuffing occurred at several polling stations.
At Mparo Gasani, for example, she claims 350 ballot papers were counted despite only 146 voters having cast their ballots. Mugenyi also alleges that the number of votes recorded at Kasasa Catholic Church polling station exceeded the number of voters who participated in the election.
She also accuses Nyakato and some of her agents of voter bribery. Mugenyi alleges that Nyakato gave 500,000 Shillings to elderly voters in Ruyanja Cell, Kibingo Ward, on January 6, 2026. She further alleges that one of Nyakato’s agents 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 they were allegedly misled that the information was required for development-related documentation.
According to the petition, some of 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, particularly given the 1,945-vote margin between her and Nyakato, and she is asking the court to invalidate the election, nullify Nyakato’s victory and order a fresh election.
John Kamurinde, one of the lawyers representing Mugenyi, told Uganda Radio Network (URN) that their team had prepared four witnesses to testify during the cross-examination stage.
Medard Lubega Sseggona, who represents Nyakato, said their team had also prepared four witnesses to testify during the same stage of the proceedings. Sseggona said their team had spent the day cross-examining Mugenyi on various aspects of her petition as the hearing of the petition commenced on Thursday. However, neither party disclosed the identities or details of the witnesses expected to testify before the court, presided over by Justice Charles Kasibayo-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
