Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze Bakireke has denied allegations of voter bribery and electoral misconduct as the High Court in Mukono concluded the hearing of evidence in a petition challenging her election victory.
Nambooze took the witness stand on Wednesday before Justice Godfrey Himbaza, where she was cross-examined by lawyers representing the petitioner, National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer Sarah Daisy Sonko Nabatanzi.
The petition accuses Nambooze of bribing voters, including through alleged inducements involving a Ludo club in Ssaza Village, in central Mukono town, as well as other electoral irregularities during the campaign period.
However, Nambooze dismissed the allegations, telling the court that her own inquiries in the village had not established the existence of a Ludo club of the kind described by the petitioner’s lawyers.
She also denied giving money to voters or providing a vehicle to facilitate her campaigns, describing the arrangement of joint transport for supporters as a common practice among politicians across the political divide.
During her testimony, Nambooze also recounted incidents of violence and disruption allegedly directed at her during the campaigns. She said she was surprised to find herself facing an election petition, considering that she had also sought police intervention over political violence.
According to Nambooze, police officers advised her that such matters should be resolved outside the police station.
Justice Himbaza has scheduled November 16 to rule on the admissibility of evidence from some of Sonko Nabatanzi’s witnesses who failed to appear for cross-examination despite having submitted affidavits.
Nambooze’s lawyers, led by Medard Lubega Ssegona, asked the court to disregard the affidavits, arguing that the witnesses had denied the opposing side an opportunity to question them. However, counsel for the petitioner, Ahmed Kalule, provided explanations for the witnesses’ absence.
The judge said he would deliver his decision through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS), after which the court would give directions on the remaining proceedings and set a date for the final judgment.
Following Wednesday’s hearing, Ssegona said the defence had completed presenting its case and was awaiting the court’s decision.
“We have completed presenting everything to the court and are now only waiting for the judge’s ruling,” he said.
Aron Buyinza, another lawyer representing Sonko Nabatanzi, said the petitioner’s legal team had also completed the necessary steps and remained confident of securing victory for their client.
Outside the courtroom, supporters of both candidates caused brief disorder in the court compound as police struggled to disperse them. Neither group was willing to leave first, resulting in confrontations before calm was restored.
Nambooze later thanked witnesses who had supported her defence, saying her accusers had failed to present evidence capable of implicating her. However, she acknowledged that some of her own supporters had contributed to the difficulties surrounding the proceedings.
Sonko Nabatanzi maintained that the petition was still ongoing, saying her legal team had challenged the evidence presented before the court and was awaiting the judge’s determination.
The parties are expected to make their final submissions before the court proceeds to deliver its judgment.
Meanwhile, the High Court has extended the date for delivering a ruling in a separate election petition challenging the Mukono District chairperson election.
Justice Phillip Mwaka has moved the ruling to November 23 in a petition filed by National Unity Platform’s Johnson Muyanja Ssenyonga against the declared winner, Lukooya Mukoome Francis.
Muyanja has urged his supporters to remain calm as they await the court’s decision, although he expressed dissatisfaction with the postponement, arguing that the court had sufficient time to deliver its ruling within the originally scheduled period.
Lukooya, on the other hand, posted on social media that victory was in the hands of his supporters and urged them to remain strong until the November 23 ruling.
The petition stems from a disputed declaration of results by the Electoral Commission, which was then chaired by Amogin Emily.
The Commission initially declared Muyanja the winner with 51,686 votes against Lukooya’s 50,254. However, it later reversed the declaration, announcing Lukooya as the winner with 52,523 votes and placing Muyanja second with 52,105.
Muyanja subsequently petitioned the court, challenging the reversal of the results and citing alleged irregularities in the January 22 elections.
The two petitions are among the post-election disputes arising from the January polls in Mukono.
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