Kayunga Court Dismisses Karangwa Election Petition, Upholds Nakwedde’s Victory

By Lawrence Mubiru 

The Kayunga Chief Magistrate Court has dismissed an election petition filed by Birungi Jackline Karangwa of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), challenging the victory of Harriet Nakwedde of the National Unity Platform (NUP) in the Kayunga District Woman Member of Parliament race.

Presiding over the matter, Chief Magistrate John Francis Kagwa ruled that Karangwa’s petition was fatally flawed after she failed to submit certified Declaration of Results (DR) forms, a mandatory requirement in election petitions.

The court held that the absence of certified documents undermined the credibility and integrity of the petition, rendering it invalid.

As a result, Magistrate Kagwa ordered the Electoral Commission to proceed with the full gazettement of Harriet Nakwedde as the duly elected Woman Member of Parliament for Kayunga District.

Karangwa had petitioned the court alleging that Nakwedde’s victory was the product of an unfair electoral process. She claimed that the Kayunga District returning officer declared Nakwedde the winner without properly tallying results from all polling stations.

However, the court found no merit in the allegations and upheld the original declaration of results.

According to the official tally, Nakwedde secured 20,753 votes, defeating Aidah Elios Nantaba, who ran as an Independent and garnered 16,138 votes, and Karangwa, who polled 15,790 votes. Nakwedde’s victory margin stood at over 4,000 votes, a factor the court noted in reinforcing the legitimacy of the outcome.

The ruling effectively brings to an end the legal challenge surrounding the Kayunga Woman MP race and clears the way for Nakwedde to formally take her seat in the 11th Parliament.

With the matter settled, the Electoral Commission is now expected to complete the gazettement process, officially confirming Harriet Nakwedde as the elected Member of Parliament for Kayunga District.