Court orders vote recount in National Female Youth MP polls

Hoima, Uganda: The Chief Magistrates Court in Hoima has ordered a total recount of votes cast in the National Female Youth Representative to Parliament election following a closely contested result that separated the top two candidates, Kanyesigye Mercy (Indep) and Ampaire Diana (NRM) by just 18 votes.

The order stems from an application filed by NRM flag bearer Diana, one of the four candidates who contested in the February 6, 2026, election held at Hoima City Stadium.

Kanyesigye was declared winner of the youth MP race with 216 votes, while Ampaire garnered 198 votes. Dissatisfied with the outcome, Ampaire petitioned court seeking a recount, arguing that several votes cast in her favour were wrongly tallied in favour of the declared winner.

In a Notice of Motion filed under Sections 74 and 77 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Ampaire contended that the results recorded on the Declaration of Results form were not a true reflection of the actual votes cast.

She further claimed that during the counting process, she and her polling agents raised concerns about irregular tallying before the Presiding Officer, but their complaints were ignored. The applicant also alleged that her request for a recount before declaration of results was denied and that the Returning Officer refused to acknowledge receipt of her written complaint.

This prompted the Hoima Chief Magistrates Court to grant an order for the recount of all votes cast in the election, with a certificate of vote recount to be issued upon completion.

Court records indicate that the application was supported by affidavits from the applicant and her polling agents, who were present during the voting and tallying process. The applicant also furnished security for costs as required under election law, listing the Electoral Commission and the Returning Officer as among the respondents in the matter.

The National Female Youth MP election, conducted under the Electoral Commission, is part of the special interest group parliamentary representation structure provided for under Uganda’s Constitution. Youth MPs are elected through an electoral college system rather than universal adult suffrage.

The outcome of the recount could potentially alter the final declared winner, given the narrow margin of 18 votes.

The court is expected to supervise or direct the recount process to ensure compliance with electoral law and procedural fairness.

This development comes amid heightened scrutiny of special interest group elections following the recently concluded 2026 electoral cycle, where several results across the country have been challenged in court over alleged irregularities.