9,000 VOTES MARGIN: NUP'S MUMIRANSANAFU VOWS TO EXPOSE ELECTORAL FRAUD IN LUBAGA III, LORD MAYOR BALIMWEZO TO THE RESCUE.

BY PETER SSUUNA - MENGO COURT

Hearing of Election Petition No. 012/2026 - Julius Katongole (alias Mumiransanafu) vs Bonny Kabugo and the Electoral Commission - commenced before His Worship Joseph Kwesiga at Mwanga II Magistrate's Court, Mengo, under heightened tension.

The Petitioner, Julius Katongole of National Unity Platform (NUP), a businessman and resident of Mutundwe, contesting for LCV Councilor Lubaga III which covers Najjanankumbi, Nateete and Lubaga, was the first witness to take the stand.

Katongole is challenging the declaration of Bonny Kabugo of National Resistance Movement (NRM) as winner and seeks an order of this Honourable Court to nullify the results and order a vote recount or fresh election, and declare him as the duly elected LCV Councilor.

CROSS-EXAMINATION BY COUNSEL FOR 1ST RESPONDENT

During cross-examination by Counsel Martin Ainebyona for the Kabugo, PW1 was tasked to state the number of gazetted polling stations in Lubaga III Electoral Area. He stated 214 polling stations.

Counsel Ainebyona put it to him that out of 214 polling stations, he only annexed DR Forms for three polling stations to his affidavit in support of the petition. The Petitioner responded that the said three DR Forms were the most contentious and illustrative of massive irregularities and were the only ones he could secure at the time of filing.

On who collected the said DR Forms, Katongole testified that they were collected by his polling agents, but some agents were obstructed from obtaining them. He named one Ivan Kamuntu Majembere, the NRM Chairperson for Lubaga Division, as one of the persons who orchestrated chaos and violence at polling stations.

When asked whether he personally witnessed Majembere causing chaos, PW1 stated that he did not witness with his own eyes but was briefed by his agents on the ground.

COUNSEL ALTERCATION

During proceedings, tempers flared between Counsel Jude Mbabaali for the Petitioner and Counsel Martin Ainebyona for Kabugo, leading to a heated exchange. His Worship Joseph Kwesiga intervened and cautioned both counsels to maintain decorum and professional etiquette.

NO TAMPERING WITH DR FORMS

The Petitioner maintained before court that there was no tampering, alteration or forgery of the 25 DR Forms annexed as Exhibit P1 to his affidavit in evidence. He accused the 1st Respondent of vote inflation and ballot stuffing.

Under cross-examination by Counsel for the 2nd Respondent (Electoral Commission), Kabugo was asked whether he indeed won by 60%. He affirmed that according to his tally, he won by over 60% and beat the 1st Respondent by a margin of over 9,000 votes.

He further testified that in some DR Forms, the votes awarded to the 1st Respondent exceeded the total number of registered voters who actually turned up to vote on polling day, which contravenes Section 15 of the Local Governments Act and the Electoral Laws.

STAR WITNESS: LORD MAYOR BALIMWEZO

The Petitioner informed court that he will heavily rely on the testimony of his next witness, His Worship Ronald Balimwezo, the Kampala Capital City Lord Mayor, who will tender additional DR Forms to corroborate his evidence and establish voter turnout and actual votes cast.

The matter was adjourned to October 16, 2026 for further hearing with PW2 and other witnesses.