RUHAMA, RUKIGA DISTRICT – 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, won the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries with 43,308 votes (77.1%), while Kamusime secured 12,866 votes (22.9%).
Kamusime filed a petition with the NRM Electoral Commission Tribunal, accusing Dr. Alineitwe of voter bribery. She alleged incidents at Sindi polling station in Mparo Town Council, where voters were filmed allegedly receiving bribes to line up behind Alineitwe’s portrait. Kamusime also claimed polling officials accepted mobile money bribes to favor Dr. Alineitwe.
However, the tribunal dismissed her petition, ruling that the allegations lacked evidence. The panel, chaired by John Musiime and including Ronald Tusingwiire and Patrick Rutembana, upheld Dr. Alineitwe’s victory.
Dr. Alineitwe welcomed the decision, calling Kamusime’s petition a “waste of time” and urging unity ahead of the 2026 general elections.
In a related ruling, the tribunal upheld Betty Namara Mutabazi Kabata’s victory as the NRM flag bearer for Kanungu District Woman MP. Namara defeated incumbent Hon. Kishaba Patience Nkunda, securing 40,719 votes against Nkunda’s 27,132. Other contenders included Esther Majambere Musoke (14,606 votes), Honest Kansiime Mugisha (10,086 votes), Shilah Kyasimire Baribumpe (1,007 votes), and Prossy Akampurira (556 votes). Majambere’s petition, citing voter bribery and agent harassment, was also dismissed for insufficient evidence.
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