National Female Youth MP petition: Court dismisses vote recount over ballot box tampering

HOIMA - The chief magistrate’s court in Hoima city has dismissed a vote recount petition filed by National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag-bearer Diana Kampe Ampaire, who was challenging independent candidate Mercy Kanyesigye’s victory in the recently concluded National Female Youth Member of Parliament (MP) race.

The February 17, 2026, development comes after the ballot materials were found to have been tampered with. 

The court had ordered a recount of votes cast in the election for National Female Youth MP held on February 6, at Hoima City Stadium.

Chief Magistrate George Kunihira issued the directive following a petition challenging the declared results of the closely contested race.

The Electoral Commission announced Mercy Kanyesigye as the winner after she polled 216 votes, Ampaire garnered 198 votes, independent candidate Julia Muhumuza secured 24 votes, and Edith Namande Nakayiza of the National Unity Platform received one vote, according to results released by Kampala district returning officer Jennifer Kyobutungyi.

However, Ampaire contested the outcome, filing Miscellaneous Cause No. 06 of 2026 against Kanyesigye, the Electoral Commission, and the returning officer, citing alleged irregularities in the tallying process.

In an affidavit sworn in Kampala through her lawyers from Factum Advocates, Ampaire argued that the declared results did not reflect the true will of the voters. She alleged that several votes cast in her favour were wrongly attributed to Kanyesigye.

Ampaire further claimed that presiding officer Ivan Munanura conducted the vote count in a manner that misallocated her votes and that the figures recorded on the Declaration of Results Form did not match the actual ballots cast.

She said she and her polling agents, Sharon Aketowanga and Collins Turyahebwa, raised concerns during the counting process, but their complaints were ignored.

She also said her formal requests for a recount before the official declaration were denied and that the returning officer declined to acknowledge receipt of her written complaint.

After the results were declared, Ampaire wrote to the Electoral Commission and the returning officer requesting certified copies of the Declaration of Results Form and the Return Form for Transmission of Results, but she said these were never provided.

In her petition, Ampaire sought a court-supervised recount of all votes cast, the issuance of a certificate of recount, and the costs of the application. During the hearing that began last Friday, Chief Magistrate Kunihira adjourned the matter to Tuesday.

Legitimate concerns

In his ruling delivered Wednesday afternoon, he ordered a recount of all votes, noting that Ampaire and her agents had raised legitimate concerns during the counting process, which were not addressed by the presiding officer or the Returning Officer.

He observed that by denying the applicant and her agents an opportunity to be heard, electoral officials committed a serious error.

He added that the Electoral Commission ought to have handled the complaints raised at the tallying stage.

Kunihira also noted that despite Ampaire’s request for certified copies of key election documents after the declaration of results, the Commission failed to provide them. He ruled that the evidence presented in court pointed to irregularities in the voting-counting process, providing sufficient grounds for a recount. 

The ruling

However, in a ruling delivered at about 11:30pm, Kunihira annulled his earlier directive for a vote recount, which depended upon the ballot boxes being intact.



Mercy Kanyesigye’s lead council Asuman Basalirwa, commended the court for dismissing the vote recount petition.



Mercy Kanyesigye said she is ready to work together with the youths after retaining her victory.



Earlier, during the court session, Brian Kuba Rugumayo, Ampaire’s lead counsel, insisted that allegations of tampering with the ballot box were minor and repeatedly urged the court to disregard them.



In the February 6th, 2026, polls. Kanyesigye polled 216 votes, defeating Diana Ampair,e who garnered 198 votes.