By Aggrey Baba
National Unity Platform’s (NUP) Moses Katabu on Monday pulled a disappearing act after the mention of his election petition against NRM’s Salim Uhuru, leaving his political opponent (of the NRM) to face the cameras and publicly question where the evidence to overturn his victory is.
Katabu had appeared before High Court Civil Division’s Judge Flavia Nabakooza Kalungi as the case challenging Uhuru’s election in the 2026 election as Kampala Central Division Mayor (LCIII) came up for mention. However, when the brief proceedings ended, Katabu was nowhere to be seen as journalists waited outside court.
Uhuru, by contrast, stayed behind and used the moment to deliver a message to his challenger, that if Katabu has evidence capable of defeating the election result, he should bring it to court.
“Let him bring one parish that he wins, and I promise from the bottom of my heart I will relinquish my victory,” Uhuru said.
The NRM mayor further dismissed Katabu’s petition as a waste of time, claiming that the NUP candidate has so far failed to produce evidence capable of shaking the result that gave Uhuru what he described as a decisive victory.
Uhuru also took aim at what he said was an attempt by Katabu’s lawyers to introduce 26 affidavits from witnesses who were allegedly not accepted by the system.
“You have seen even in court. He was trying to smuggle in 26 affidavits, which the system refused,” Uhuru said.
The claim, Uhuru argued, was another indication that Moses Katabu was struggling to build a case against the election result.
He also found Katabu’s disappearance after court particularly amusing, recalling the NUP candidate’s alleged fondness for appearing before cameras whenever there is a political issue to discuss.
Uhuru questioned why Katabu, unlike other NUP candidates who have been appearing before the media after court proceedings in their respective election cases, had chosen to leave without saying a word.
For Uhuru, the answer was that Katabu had little to say because the case was not giving him the evidence he needed.
He nevertheless urged Katabu to accept the realities of electoral politics, saying every election produces a winner and a loser and that the NUP candidate could have another chance in future.
“In any election there is a winner and a loser. Next time maybe he will win,” Uhuru said.
Uhuru further cited his claimed 35,000 votes as proof that his victory was rooted in the people of Kampala Central, arguing that he managed to win even during the 2021 political storm [brought by Bobi Wine and the NUP] and that he sees no reason for Katabu not to see that he was the best candidate to win in the 2026 election.
“If I could win during that time of the Muyaga called NUP, what about now? Because I got 35,000 votes, the highest number of votes,” he said.
The case was only mentioned on Monday and was not yet heard on its merits. The parties are expected to return to court on September 3 for rejoinder as the legal battle over the Kampala Central mayoral seat continues.
But outside court, Uhuru appeared to have already drawn his battle lines, challenging Katabu to stop relying on political claims and produce the evidence he says will overturn the election.
