Jinja mayoral candidate collapses inside tally centre over mismatching DR results

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There was uproar at the Jinja city tally centre on January 27, 2026, when the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate in the Jinja southern division mayoral race, Simon Kasirye, collapsed.

Trouble emanated from the returning officer, Flavia Nakasi, who was announcing results as Kasirye kept interjecting, saying some of the figures were not matching with copies of his declaration forms.

The results, which caused commotion, were from parts of Mpumudde parish polling stations, which were putting his main opponent of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), Faruwa Kitakule, in the lead.

Christopher Katumba, the Kiira region deputy police commander trying to contain a bitter Kasirye as he protested some results from certain polling stations which were different from his DR form. (Photo by Jackie Nambogga)

Kasirye’s protest met resistance from security operatives led by Kiira region deputy Police commander Christopher Katumba, who kept calming him down.

“Temumanyi kunoonya bululu mulinda kutuuka mu tally centre nemutukolako emivuyo, naye ssigenda kukiriza, kino kisuse. Literally meaning you don’t know how to look for votes, you just scheme in the tally centre and start switching our votes, I shall not accept, this is too much,” he said.

Nakasi would put the contested declaration form aside to the amusement of NUP supporters, but this angered those of NRM, with a woman who proved to be confident in arguing in English kept speaking on Kitakule’s behalf, concluding that the results had been cancelled.

“How can you cancel our results when you have the same DR copy as ours? We are not agents for the Opposition,” she said.

However, Nakasi reminded the NRM team of her statement as she asked the supporter to repeat and interpret what she had said, only to sit her down.

As the process continued, again, Kasirye jumped off his seat when another DR indicated how Kitakule had garnered 350 votes, which was reportedly not the case.

All of a sudden, he collapsed between the returning officer and her entire team, who had occupied the school's main hall’s stage and the crowd.

Whereas some NRM supporters were seen jubilating, this brought business to a standstill as the shocked Nakasi looked on in fear.

Whereas Kasirye gained consciousness after an hour, Nakasi continued announcing the results, which the NUP members, led by Paul Mwiru, the MP-elect for Jinja South East constituency, protested.