BY PETER LUZINDA
Kampala
National Unity Platform (NUP) Secretary General Lewis Rubongoya has announced plans to file an election petition challenging the victory of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs Minister Hajjat Minsa Kabanda in the recently concluded Kampala Central parliamentary race.
Kabanda, who contested on the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, was declared the winner by the Electoral Commission following the January polls. However, Rubongoya has rejected the outcome, citing what he describes as widespread electoral irregularities that he believes affected the final results.
Speaking after the declaration of results, Rubongoya alleged incidents of ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, and interference by security personnel at several polling stations. He also claimed that some of his polling agents were blocked from accessing tallying centres and polling venues, which he says created room for manipulation of vote counts.
According to the NUP official, his legal team is compiling evidence from across the constituency to support the forthcoming court challenge. He maintains that the petition is aimed at ensuring accountability and safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
Rubongoya further asserted that results from multiple polling stations and parishes indicated strong support for his candidacy, arguing that the final tally announced by the Electoral Commission did not reflect what he described as the “true will of the voters.”
By press time, Kabanda had not publicly responded to the planned court action. Electoral Commission officials have also yet to issue a detailed statement regarding the allegations raised by the NUP candidate.
Election petitions in Uganda are handled by the High Court, which has the authority to uphold the declared winner, order a recount, or nullify results if substantial irregularities are proven.
The Kampala Central race has remained one of the most closely watched contests in the capital, reflecting the continued political rivalry between opposition forces and the ruling party in urban constituencies.
More details are expected once the petition is formally filed and court proceedings begin.