The Hoima Chief Magistrate Court, presided over by His Worship George Kunihira, has dismissed the vote recount petition filed by the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s Diana Ampaire in the recently concluded National Female Youth MP race, after finding that ballot materials had been tampered with.
While delivering a landmark ruling last night, Chief Magistrate Kunihira said the court had examined the integrity of the ballot materials, including ballot books, serial numbers and seals, in the presence of lawyers representing all parties, as well as the returning officer.
He said that the court noted serious inconsistencies in the serial numbers recorded in the official report book and those found inside the ballot boxes and according to the findings, while records indicated that 441 votes had been used, only 440 physical ballot papers were found in the ballot boxes.
Kunihira further pointed out that ballot paper serial number 8 appeared as used in the ballot book but could not be traced among the 440 ballot papers physically counted and two ballot papers bearing the same serial number 36 were discovered in the ballot box, yet the ballot book reflected that the serial number appeared only once.
The court also raised concerns about the handling of seals and their serial numbers, noting discrepancies between the records and the actual materials presented before court.
The Chief Magistrate ruled that, due to irregularities cited, proceeding with a recount would serve no purpose, as the credibility and integrity of the ballot box had already been compromised.
He indicated that a detailed written judgment would be prepared and shared with the parties and the dismissal effectively brings to a close Ampaire’s petition hence upholding the election of Ms Mercy Kanyesigye as the duly elected National Female Youth Member of Parliament.
Ms Kanyesigye welcomed the court ruling, saying the court sitting in Hoima has disallowed the vote recount in the case of Diana vs Mercy and the Electoral Commission (2026).
Ms Kanyesigye, who contested as an independent candidate, was declared winner by the Electoral Commission after polling 216 votes in the election held at Hoima City Stadium. Kampe came second with 198 votes.
Other candidates in the race included Julia Muhumuza (independent), who garnered 24 votes, and Edith Namande Nakaiza of the National Unity Platform (NUP), who received one vote.
Following the declaration of results, Ms Kampe had filed an application seeking a vote recount, arguing that some votes were wrongly attributed to Ms Kanyesigye.
But in his ruling, Chief Magistrate Kunihira said, there was overwhelming evidence that the ballot boxes were tampered with and the vote recounting could not take place and dismissed the exercise and asked that those who remained dissatisfied by the process can petition an appellate court and seek redress.
Both Kanyesigye and Diana Ampaire Kampe are members of the National Resistance Movement and they both engaged in the NRM primaries exercise which Ms Kampe Ampaire won and Ms Kanyesigye who remained dissatisfied had vowed to compete in the National election which she eventually won.
