Busiro East, Wakiso: Fresh claims of voter bribery emerging from the recently concluded Busiro East parliamentary elections have ignited intense speculation within the National Resistance Movement (NRM) that Hajji Abdul Kiyimba could ultimately secure the seat, despite losing at the ballot.
Sources familiar with discussions at the NRM secretariat in Kyadondo say Kiyimba, a staunch Museveni supporter and one of Wakiso’s most popular politicians, is confident that legal avenues could soon place him in Parliament, drawing parallels with the 2016 Nansana Municipality precedent involving Robert Kasule Sebunya.
In that case, Kasule, who had finished third in the general election, was sworn in as MP after court nullified the victory of Wakayima Musoke Nsereko without a by-election.
Videos Trigger Bribery Claims
The Busiro East race was won by Emmanuel Magoola, an independent candidate aligned with the NUP, after securing endorsement from popular singer-turned-politician Mathias Walukagga, who had earlier been disqualified from contesting on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket over academic qualification issues.
In recent days, online videos circulating on social media appear to show Walukagga and Magoola discussing an arrangement in which Walukagga allegedly received large sums of money in exchange for endorsing Magoola, an endorsement widely credited with swinging the vote in Magoola’s favour against rivals, including Medard Ssegona and Kiyimba.
If substantiated, such conduct could amount to voter bribery, an electoral offence under Ugandan law.
NRM strategists believe the video statements could form the basis of an election petition, potentially filed by Kiyimba, who finished second in the race. They argue that Walukagga, being a registered voter in Busiro East, may have unlawfully influenced voters through inducement.
Precedent exists. In 2011, Faizal Ssali Kikulukunyu lost his parliamentary seat after court found he had engaged in bribery, triggering a by-election that ushered in Muwanga Kivumbi.
Sources say party legal teams are studying whether the alleged conduct could lead not only to nullification of Magoola’s victory but also to a ban barring both Magoola and Walukagga from contesting elective office for several years, as provided under electoral law.
Kiyimba’s Path to Parliament?
Should a court nullify the election on grounds of bribery and disqualify the winner, NRM insiders believe Kiyimba could be declared MP without a by-election, mirroring the Kasule Sebunya precedent, given that he placed second in the race.
“Kiyimba finishing second makes this scenario easier to justify politically and legally,” a source said, adding that confidence within NRM circles is high.
By press time, Emmanuel Magoola, Mathias Walukagga, and the Electoral Commission had not publicly responded to the specific allegations of bribery. No court petition has yet been confirmed as filed. DailyExpress will update the story as official responses or legal actions emerge.
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