By Aggrey Baba
On August 18th, the NRM Election Disputes Tribunal upheld Desire Muhooza’s victory as the NRM flag bearer for Kiboga District Woman MP, dismissing a petition that alleged widespread electoral irregularities during the July 17, 2025 primaries. Renowned NRM youth leader Muhooza is a daughter to Gen Salim Saleh aka Caleb Akandwanaho.
The petition, filed by Niyonsaba Jackline, claimed that Muhooza’s victory, with 16,744 votes against her 9,934, was marred by intimidation, harassment, and vote manipulation, alleging that pre-election meetings at the office of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) had unfairly secured support and protection for Muhooza, while her own campaign faced disruptions.
Jackline also accused polling officials of falsifying Declaration of Results (DR) forms and claimed that non-voters were ferried to polling stations, skewing the results. During the tribunal proceedings, Jackline was represented by Arinaitwe Rogers, while Muhooza’s legal team was led by David Kamukama. Both parties presented oral and written submissions, with Jackline urging the tribunal to nullify the election results due to alleged irregularities.
Muhooza maintained that her win reflected the genuine will of the voters and insisted that the claims lacked credible evidence.
After reviewing the evidence and examining relevant legal precedents, the tribunal found that Jackline had not substantiated her allegations.
Photographs and witness accounts cited by the petitioner were not independently verified, and there was no evidence directly linking the acts of intimidation or alleged security breaches to Muhooza. The tribunal noted that even if minor procedural errors occurred, such as unsigned or unstamped DR forms, they did not alter the election outcome or undermine the integrity of the process.
The tribunal emphasized that elections, while never perfect, must prioritize the expressed will of voters. Drawing on past rulings, it noted that unproven claims of violence, tampering, or voter ineligibility can’t invalidate an election unless it is shown that the irregularities substantially affected the result. In this case, the tribunal concluded that any irregularities, had they occurred, would not have changed the final tally.
Ultimately, the tribunal dismissed Petition No. PT-317-2025, officially affirming Desire Muhooza as the duly elected NRM flag bearer for Kiboga Woman MP. The ruling, delivered by Tribunal Chairperson John Musiime alongside panel members Maxwell Okengedenish, Patrick Nasinyama, and Esau Isingoma, is binding and final, underscoring the principle that internal party elections must reflect the genuine choice of members while maintaining internal discipline and certainty.
The decision brings an end to a contentious primary contest in Kiboga, where political rivals had battled fiercely for the coveted NRM ticket. As the tribunal observed, “Although perfection is an aspiration in elections, allowance must be made for human errors. What matters most is that the ultimate will of the electorate is ascertained and upheld.” For Muhooza, the ruling clears the path for her to campaign for the parliamentary seat with her victory officially recognized. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
