Some of the chairs brought to court by witness that were allegedly distributed to voters in Lwengo to vote honerable Namuju cissy.
By Sulaiman Kauki
Former Lwengo District Chairperson George Mutabaaazi has told court that a male susepect he arrested distributing money to voters on polling day was released on orders of Lwengo District Woman MP Cissy Namujju.
Mutabaazi made the revelation while testifying in a case in which former independent candidate for Lwengo District Woman MP seat in the January 15 General Election, Sarah Muwonge Nkonge challenges the victory of Namujju .
Nkonge alleges that Namujju engaged in voter bribery and other electoral irregularities, insisting that all these affected the final outcome of the election.
Appearing before Justice Rosette Comfort Kania via zoom on Sunday, Mutabaazi ,one of the petitioner witnesses told court what ,while at Kyalutwaka polling station on January 15,2026 ,he arrested one Mugisha distributing money to voters ,he handed the suspect to police though he was later released on orders of Namujju.
” I arrested Mugisha in the process of distributing money and took him to Mayira Police Station ,but Namujju used her influence to have him released ,but I had already taken pictures of him in the police cells.” He said
Brenda Babirye, another petitioner witness told court that she recorded a video using her mobile phone showing Namujju speaking to her supporters and agents saying that she would give money to those polling stations that could highly vote for her.
She also told the court that Namujju told the gathering that she had an arrangement of providing free lunch to residents of Lwengo that would turn up to vote for her ,and coupons would be distributed to them through their selected leaders.
” At the same function, Namujju delivered hand hoes which were given to residents that attended the meeting convened at a playground in Lwengo, she[Namujju] further promised that those who miss out , will benefit when the second batch arrives “. She added.
However ,during cross- examination Namujju ‘ lawyer Geoffrey Kandebe told court that the said hand hoes were distributed under a government programme and other districts also benefited .
Court also heard from four other witnesses who told court that the election won by Namujju was full of gross irregularities including voter bribery through distribution of tents and plastic chairs, among other items.
The petitioner ‘s side was expected to close its case today,September 28 though its counsel Musa Kabega told court that they could not present their last witness since he was not reach him on phone by Sunday evening .
” If granted a chance ,we can present him[witness ] another day and we close our case.” He said
The presiding judge accepted lawyer Kabega’s prayer , but rejecting the request by Kandebe to expand the affidavits of the missing last witness of the petitioner.
During the same sitting , the respondent opened its case by presenting Namujju as the key witness.
Namujju told the court that the tents and plastic chairs among other items ,were distributed the during the ruling National Resistance Movement party primary elections and not General Election as claimed by her political opponent .
“The accusations against me are baseless and should not be accepted by court,” she said
While testifying before the same court on Saturday Nkonge said , the returning officer during the tallying of results explained that the equipment they were using in transmission of results had failed.
Nkonge wondered how the final results were declared under such situation .
“The returning officer declared the winner based on results from only 150 polling stations and told us that the equipment he was using had failed,” Nkonge told court.
Justice Kania adjourned the matter the October 2 when the hearing of the petition is expected to resume.
According to results announced by the Electoral Commission, Ms Namujju ,who was the ruling National Resistance Movement candidate in the race won the election with 34,021 votes while Nkonge(Ind) received 29,216 votes. National Unity Platform’s Christine Namuyanja garnered 18131votes while Elizabeth (Ind) got 1183 votes.