Two prominent Ugandan politicians, Joy Kafula Kabatsi and Theodore Ssekikubo, have filed a joint petition to the Electoral Commission contesting the outcome of the recent National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries in Sembabule District.
Kabatsi, a former Sembabule District Woman MP, and Ssekikubo, the incumbent MP for Lwemiyaga County, allege that the declaration of Brigadier General Emmanuel Rwashande as winner was the result of a deeply flawed and manipulated process.
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The pair claim the primaries were marred by widespread irregularities, including ballot stuffing, voter intimidation, military interference, and the deliberate alteration of vote tallies. They are calling for the nullification of the results and a fresh election conducted under transparent conditions.
Speaking to reporters, Kabatsi voiced frustration over being sidelined in media narratives that have largely focused on the contest between Ssekikubo and Rwashande. She alleges that her votes were deliberately switched in favour of Rwashande and that her candidacy was unfairly downplayed despite her active participation in the race.
Both politicians accuse Rwashande’s campaign of engaging in electoral malpractice, including ferrying in voters from outside the district, inflating results in his strongholds, and preventing their agents from accessing polling stations. Some supporters, they claim, were violently removed from voting centres, while ballots cast in their favour were discarded or left uncounted.
Ssekikubo also reported a communications blackout on polling day and alleged that he was shot at during the election-related violence—a situation he likened to a military-backed seizure of power.
“This is a calculated power grab by Brig. Gen. Rwashande, using the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) to hijack the electoral process,” Ssekikubo said, adding that the army’s presence intimidated voters and disrupted the process.
Their petition is among more than 250 election complaints currently before the NRM Elections Tribunal. Brig. Gen. Rwashande, named as a respondent, has not yet been summoned to respond to the allegations.
This is not the first time Ssekikubo has challenged Rwashande. He previously attempted to block his nomination, citing questions over the candidate’s academic credentials—an effort that was dismissed by the party’s vetting committee.
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