African culture

By Peter Ssuuna The Lord Mayor of Kampala, Eng. Ronald Balimwezo, has testified in the Mwanga II Court in Mengo in the case filed by Julius Katongole, who sued NRM's Bonny Kabugo and the Electoral Commission, claiming his votes were stolen in the just-concluded election. Balimwezo held the Holy Bible and took an oath before Justice Joseph Kwesiga, after which Kabugo's lawyer began to cross-examine him with tough questions which he answered. Balimwezo stated that he and Katongole had shared agents at some polling stations and that the number of voters on the same voters' register was the same, and he did not expect that it was inflated in relation to the votes given to Kabugo. He added that all the DR forms were certified by the Electoral Commission. The petitioner's side led by lawyer Jude Mbabaali stated that they have finished presenting their three witnesses as listed in the documents they presented to court, who were the main petitioner, Julius Katongole, ...

By Peter Ssuuna The Chief Magistrate's Court of Mengo at Mengo has dismissed Election Petition No. 009 of 2026 filed by Namuddu Joyce challenging the election of Nakitto Lydia Nalongo aka Maama Sama as City Division Woman Councilor for Namirembe Parish, Rubaga Division. In his judgment delivered by His Worship Natwijuka Aloysius Baryeza, the court upheld the preliminary objection raised by Counsel Jessy Magala for the 1st Respondent and Counsel Fred Johnson Asiimwe for the Electoral Commission, that the petition was based on a pre-election complaint and therefore this court has no jurisdiction to handle it. THE PETITION Namuddu Joyce, who contested in the elections held on 22nd January 2026, had asked court to declare the election of Nakitto Lydia Nalongo null and void. She alleged that Nakitto's nomination papers - including the Oath Authenticating Statement, Form EC 7 (Statement Under Oath) and Form EC 8 (Consent to Nomination) - were forged and bore an invalid commissioning ...