Ministers dominate Day Two of NRM Election Petitions Tribunal

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Election Disputes Tribunal, chaired by lawyer John Musiime, entered its second day of hearings into petitions arising from the recently concluded party primaries for parliamentary flag bearers. A significant portion of the cases involved challenges against ministers who secured party tickets for the 2026 general elections.

One of the most emotionally charged petitions came from Wandera John Paul, through his lawyer Kamba Hassan, who accused State Minister for Regional Cooperation in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, John Mulimba, of orchestrating a campaign marred by extreme violence in Samia Bugwe North Constituency. Kamba told the tribunal that the election was “written in human blood,” alleging violence, including killings, the deployment of soldiers, and unidentified goons to intimidate voters and opponents.

He further claimed the existence of four ghost villages and restricted access to areas perceived as Mulimba’s strongholds. Kamba argued that the process lacked credibility both qualitatively and quantitatively, citing mathematically inconsistent vote tallies due to voter inflation and other irregularities.

In response, Minister Mulimba dismissed the allegations, saying the complaints reflected the typical stages of denial by losing candidates. “This is how they respond. They respond by denial; they go on by bargaining. Then, when they accept, they begin to come to terms,” Mulimba said, adding that his opponents were still healing from defeat. He assured constituents that despite the petition, he remained confident of a renewed mandate.

In Serere District, Lucy Acom Esther challenged the declaration of Fisheries State Minister Hellen Adoa as the NRM flag bearer for the Woman MP seat. Acom claimed her victory had been unjustly taken and urged the tribunal to thoroughly assess the evidence she submitted. Minister Adoa, however, dismissed the petition as baseless, arguing that the evidence presented against her dated back to the 2015 NRM primaries and did not reflect the current electoral process.

Another contentious petition came from Geoffrey Odongkara Obalim, who is contesting the victory of Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees, Hillary Onek—the NRM flag bearer for Palabek County in Lamwo District. Obalim alleged that violence marred the election and accused police of backing the minister’s campaign, including inflating the voters’ register. Minister Onek, who initially appeared in high spirits, was later seen leaving the tribunal without comment, visibly perturbed.

Similarly, Minister for the Presidency, Milly Babirye Babalanda, faced a petition from Mutagaya Denis, who alleged irregularities in the electoral process. Minister Babalanda was declared the flag bearer for Budiope West after garnering 99,832 votes, equivalent to 80.2 percent of the total cast. Mutagaya trailed with 12,940 votes. The tribunal has asked both parties to submit additional documentation by the close of business tomorrow.

In Buikwe District, State Minister in the Office of the Vice President, Diana Mutasingwa—the NRM flag bearer for the District Woman MP seat—spent the entire day at the tribunal waiting for petitioner Harriet Nankabirwa, who had not appeared by press time. Accompanied by her father and dozens of supporters, Mutasingwa described the day as wasted and expressed confidence in her overwhelming 93 percent win. She stated that even if discrepancies existed, they were not significant enough to affect the outcome.

Minister of Security, Major General Jim Muhwezi, defended his campaign in Rujumbura County, Rukungiri District, stating that it was free from any form of malpractice. He emphasized that no incidents of bribery, intimidation, or violence had been reported. Muhwezi cited his long-standing experience and senior roles in both the party and government. “My entire campaign was run on principles set in the NRM Constitution and all the supporting regulations,” he said.

He reiterated his credentials as a senior member of the NRM Central Executive Committee, Chairman of the NRM in Rukungiri District, Member of Parliament for Rujumbura County, Major General in the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, member of the Army Council, and a freedom fighter. His challenger, Frank Arinaitwe—who secured 17,083 votes against Muhwezi’s 21,613—maintains the election was not fairly conducted. Beyond the ministers, other cases were also heard. Hajji Iddi Isabirye, incumbent MP for Bunya County, defended his victory, saying he won by a margin of over 10,000 votes.

He questioned how one could be accused of voter intimidation while commanding such wide support. Sheema Municipality MP, Dicksons Kateshumbwa—facing a petition from Joseph Mukasa alleging voter bribery—proposed a policy reform within the NRM. He suggested that petitioners be required to deposit a monetary bond, refundable only upon successful litigation, to prevent frivolous cases. Kateshumbwa said he had to forgo parliamentary duties to respond to a baseless claim, despite having won the flag fairly.

The tribunal proceedings are expected to continue through the week, with more petitioners set to present their cases until Sunday. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Chairperson of the NRM Party, appointed lawyer John Musiime to head the NRM Election Disputes Tribunal with a mandate to resolve disputes transparently and ensure that the final list of flag bearers reflects the will of the NRM membership.