MASAKA — Dr Sarah Muwonge Nkonge, who is challenging the election of Cissy Namujju Dionizia as Lwengo District Woman Member of Parliament, has testified before the High Court in Masaka, alleging that the Electoral Commission declared Namujju the winner without taking into account results from several polling stations.
Nkonge told the court that Lwengo District Returning Officer Peace Mugabe declared Namujju the winner after considering results from only 150 of the 378 polling stations in the district.
She alleged that excluding results from the remaining polling stations affected the final outcome of the election and denied her victory.
Nkonge told Justice Rosette Comfort Kania that when she questioned the Returning Officer about the missing results, Mugabe explained that the results-transmission machine had developed a technical fault, making it impossible to continue transmitting the results.
Namujju was declared winner with 34,021 votes against Nkonge’s 29,216 votes.
Nkonge is relying on 10 witnesses in support of her petition, three of whom have so far testified before Justice Kania.
One of the witnesses, Rashid Birimuye, chairperson of Lwebidaali Village in Malongo Sub-county, alleged that Namujju distributed hoes to voters during the campaign period.
Birimuye further alleged that on polling day, Namujju provided 200 lunch coupons and that some voters were given between Shs2,000 and Shs3,000 in cash to influence their votes.
Another witness, Annet Nabukenya, a resident of Mpembwe Village in Kkingo Sub-county, told court that on January 13, 2026, Namujju donated 20 chairs to residents and urged them to vote for her.
Nabukenya also alleged that Namujju distributed hoes, which she told residents had been provided by the government, and promised to deliver more items to the electorate if elected.
The chairs and hoes were presented to court as exhibits. The items bore inscriptions indicating that they had been donated by Namujju Cissy.
If established in court, the allegations could constitute violations of electoral laws relating to voter bribery and campaign conduct.
Justice Kania adjourned the hearing to Sunday to allow both sides to conclude the presentation and cross-examination of their witnesses.
In her petition, Nkonge is asking the court to nullify Namujju’s election and order a fresh election in Lwengo District.
Alternatively, she wants the court to declare her the winner, arguing that she obtained the second-highest number of votes without bribing voters.
