Mbale, Uganda: The election of Namisindwa County Member of Parliament Nanzala Metrine has been thrown into uncertainty after a petition was filed in the High Court in Mbale challenging her eligibility to hold office.
The case, filed by runner-up Hon. Masika Apollo, seeks to nullify the January 2026 election results on grounds that Nanzala was not qualified to contest for the parliamentary seat at the time of nomination and election.
According to court documents, Nanzala was declared the duly elected MP after polling 9,521 votes against Masika’s 6,196 votes, with the results later gazetted on March 2, 2026.
However, the petitioner argues that her victory is invalid, citing alleged non-compliance with Article 80(1)(a) of the 1995 Constitution, which requires a Member of Parliament to be a Ugandan citizen.
Masika claims that information from constituents, as well as records allegedly obtained through the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), suggests that Nanzala was born in Kenya and only later relocated to Uganda.
The petition further alleges that her national identification documents were fraudulently acquired.
In response, Nanzala has dismissed the allegations as false and politically motivated, maintaining that she is a legitimate Ugandan citizen who met all legal requirements to contest. “I am a Ugandan citizen, and all my documents were verified by the relevant authorities before I was cleared to contest. These claims are baseless and intended to mislead the public,” she said.
She added that she is prepared to defend her mandate in court and remains confident that the petition will fail.
The Electoral Commission, listed as the second respondent, is yet to publicly comment on the matter but is expected to defend the nomination and election process.
What the Petitioner Wants
Masika is asking the court to declare that Nanzala is not a Ugandan citizen and was therefore ineligible to stand for election. He further seeks orders nullifying her election and potentially triggering a fresh poll in Namisindwa County.
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