The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Election Disputes Tribunal has annulled the results of the party’s primaries for the Mbale City Northern Division parliamentary seat, handing victory to former Kampala Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Hudu Hussein.
The decision reverses the earlier declaration of Umar Nangoli as the winner. Official tallies had given Nangoli 22,166 votes, ahead of Hussein who polled 21,575. Hussein, however, petitioned the tribunal alleging voter intimidation and manipulation of Declaration of Results (DR) forms.
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Nangoli, represented by lawyer Chris Mbaga Malinga, dismissed the allegations and insisted he had been fairly elected.
But the tribunal, chaired by John Musiime, upheld parts of Hussein’s petition. It ruled that results from two polling stations had been tampered with—showing inflated figures in favour of Nangoli. In Doko cell, the total number of votes was irregularly raised from 105 to 405, adding 200 to Nangoli’s tally. A similar adjustment was found in Bwana cell, where his votes were unlawfully increased from 42 to 142.
As a result, 300 votes were deducted from Nangoli’s count. The tribunal also annulled results from four additional polling stations—Bumuluya, Namabasa 5(A), Kibumbire, and Namabasa III A—after finding the number of ballots cast exceeded registered voters.
When tallies were revised, Hussein emerged with 20,898 votes against Nangoli’s 20,562, securing a margin of 336.
Citing Regulation 44 of the NRM Election Regulations 2025, which empowers the tribunal to declare a new winner if irregularities significantly alter the outcome, the panel awarded the victory to Hussein.
Speaking after the ruling, Hussein said the decision reflected “the truth and the will of the people of Mbale.”
He will now carry the NRM flag in the 2026 general elections.
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