NRM tribunal upholds youth league results in Western region

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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) elections tribunal has dismissed two separate petitions challenging the results of youth elections in Western Uganda, upholding the victories of Bathiace Kato as Vice Chairperson of the NRM Youth League and Tumwebaze Mwine as the party’s flag bearer for Youth MP in the region.

In the first case, Johnbosco Tuyizere petitioned the tribunal to annul the election of Bathiace Kato, citing a range of alleged irregularities during the NRM Youth League primaries held on September 18, 2025.

Tuyizere accused election officials of refusing to provide Declaration of Results (DR) forms and tally sheets, particularly in 15 districts. They are Buduuda, Bugiri, Kalaki, Kalangala, Kabong, Kapchoma, Katakwi, Kikuube, Kitgum, Kotido, Madi-Okoro, Manama, Serere, Terego, and Yumbe districts.

He also claimed that vote tallying was inaccurate and, had it been done properly, he would have emerged as the winner.

Kato further questioned Tuyizere’s eligibility to contest in the youth elections.

He argued that Tuyizere, born on May 25, 1990, was over 35 at the time of nomination on July 14, 2025, and therefore didn’t meet the legal definition of a youth.

While the tribunal didn’t make a final decision on Tuyizere’s age, it focused on the credibility of his evidence.

The tribunal, chaired by John Musiime, found that the tally sheets Tuyizere submitted were not certified, lacked official signatures, and bore no party logo.

The tribunal observed that to any ordinary person, the impugned tally sheet appears more of a manipulated document by a particular individual seeking to rely on it, but its authenticity is questionable.

They stressed that in election petitions, allegations must be backed by solid, verifiable proof, not just suspicion.

The tribunal noted that an election should not be annulled on the basis of speculation or minor irregularities unless it has shown that such irregularities affected the result in a substantial manner.

The tribunal finally ruled that there was no convincing evidence that the alleged issues had a meaningful impact on the final outcome and upheld Kato’s election as Vice Chairperson, Youth League, Western Region.

Mwine keeps flag

In a separate ruling, the tribunal also dismissed a petition filed by Elizabeth Kakwanzi, who lost to Tumwebaze Mwine in the NRM primaries for Youth Member of Parliament, Western Region, held on September 19, 2025.

Kakwanzi claimed Mwine had bribed delegates through mobile money transactions and intimidated voters.

She also alleged that he flouted party rules by setting up campaign camps in different areas.

Mwine, who won with 353 votes to Kakwanzi’s 277, denied all allegations.

The tribunal, however, found the evidence lacking, saying the mobile money records presented by Kakwanzi were not certified by any telecom provider, and no witness came forward to verify their source.

Her witnesses’ affidavits, according to the tribunal, made vague claims without specifying who was bribed, how much money changed hands, or how that directly influenced the vote.

“Bribery is a grave electoral offence requiring cogent, truthful, and corroborated evidence,” the panel reminded.

The tribunal also noted that even if the allegations were true, Kakwanzi had failed to show they had a substantial effect on the result, especially considering Mwine’s 76-vote margin.

It ruled that the election was conducted within the boundaries of the NRM Constitution and electoral regulations, and confirmed Mwine as the rightful NRM flag bearer for Youth MP, Western Region.