The legal and political fallout from the contested National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries has deepened with the filing of a formal petition against retired Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde’s victory as NRM flag bearer for Rukungiri Municipality Member of Parliament.
Filed under petition number PT 306/2025 before the NRM Elections Disputes Tribunal, the case is led by Isaac Atukunda , one of the defeated aspirants, with additional sworn testimony from Elisa Rutahigwa, another runner-up in the hotly contested race.
The petition accuses Tumukunde of orchestrating a wide array of electoral malpractices, including voter bribery, register manipulation, voter intimidation, violence, and unlawful military interference.
In a statement submitted through M/s Credo Advocates and officially received by the Tribunal on July 25, 2025, Rutahigwa outlined grave concerns about the integrity of the primary exercise, calling into question the legitimacy of Tumukunde’s declared victory.
“The said election was marred by electoral malpractices to wit voter bribery, manipulation of the register, violence, and intimidation among others,” Rutahigwa stated under oath.
Key Allegations
Among the most alarming claims in the petition is that Gen. Tumukunde used his military background to intimidate voters, allegedly threatening to “wage and facilitate war” against his opponents and their supporters during a talk show on Boona FM 91.8 in June 2025.
The petitioner has attached a video recording of the broadcast and intends to play it during the tribunal hearing as evidence of voter intimidation.
The petition further alleges that:
- Tumukunde was escorted by armed personnel as he traversed multiple polling stations—including Kibirizi, Kibaale Cell, Kabwire, Nyamabaare, and Kafunda—despite being a registered voter only at Rwakabengo B polling station.
- On polling day, Tumukunde allegedly influenced voting behavior and interfered with the electoral process through his presence and actions in areas where he was not eligible to vote.
- The respondent convened a secret meeting at Platinum Hotel with NRM village registrars from Eastern, Southern, and Western Divisions of Rukungiri Municipality. The petitioner claims the meeting’s intent was to compromise the electoral officials.
- A witness, Ruth Asiimwe, reportedly attended the meeting but was ejected for refusing to partake in the alleged vote manipulation scheme. She later informed the District Police Commander (DPC), who reportedly stormed the venue and took photographic evidence of the gathering.
Tumukunde is yet to respond to the petition. He, however told voters after his election that he was “humbled by the trust placed in me through the outcome of the party primaries in Rukungiri Municipality.”
He added: “The task ahead is greater, and I remain fully committed to representing the aspirations of our people. Lets move forward together.”
Pressure
The petition adds to mounting pressure on the NRM Disputes Tribunal, recently established by President Yoweri Museveni to address allegations of fraud, bribery, and vote-rigging across multiple districts.
Museveni had earlier confirmed that electoral offences committed during the party’s July 17 primaries would be handled not only through criminal prosecution but also through legal-political redress via a lawyers’ tribunal.
Legal observers say the petition against Tumukunde is likely to become a litmus test for the tribunal’s independence and effectiveness.
“This is not just a political complaint; it involves serious accusations that go to the heart of Uganda’s civil-military divide and the misuse of state power in electoral processes,” said a legal analyst who preferred anonymity.
Rukungiri has been one of the flashpoints in the aftermath of the NRM primaries.
The use of the lining-up voting method, meant to enhance transparency, is now being widely criticized for exposing voters to coercion, especially in constituencies where state actors or former military officers wield significant influence.
The NRM Tribunal is expected to begin hearings on the matter in the coming days. If the claims are substantiated, the tribunal could nullify Tumukunde’s candidacy and order a repeat or review of the vote in Rukungiri Municipality.
With President Museveni publicly promising to rectify all fraudulent declarations through legal means, the outcome of this case could set a precedent for how the ruling party handles internal electoral disputes—particularly in races involving high-profile figures.
