The Grade One Court in Mukono is set to deliver a pivotal ruling tomorrow, Tuesday, in an election petition that has drawn significant attention in Ntenjeru–Kisoga Town Council.
The Magistrate of the Grade One Court in Mukono, Paul Matyama, will determine whether his court has the jurisdiction to hear a petition filed by National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Hudson Kiyaga.
Kiyaga is challenging the victory of independent candidate Mike Kaggwa, who was declared the winner of the race for Chairperson of Ntenjeru–Kisoga Town Council.
At the heart of the matter is whether the Grade One Court has the legal authority to entertain the petition.
Counsel for the respondent, John Narera, argued before the court that the petition was filed outside the legally prescribed timeframe. He maintained that the statutory period within which such election disputes must be lodged had already expired.
Narera further contended that the Grade One Court lacks jurisdiction to hear a petition of this nature, suggesting that the matter should not proceed before Magistrate Matyama.
On the other hand, the petitioner’s lawyer, Benon Sseryazi, rejected proposals that the dispute be referred back to the Electoral Commission. He told the court that his client does not expect a fair hearing from the Commission and insisted that the judiciary is the appropriate forum to resolve the grievances raised.
According to the respondent, Mike Kaggwa, he won the election by a margin of seven votes. He expressed confidence in the integrity of the outcome, telling the court that all efforts to challenge the result are attempts to overturn the will of the voters.
Kaggwa maintained that the declared results reflect the true choice of the electorate and urged the court to dismiss the petition.
However, Hudson Kiyaga insists that his victory was unfairly taken away. In his petition, he alleges irregularities in the electoral process and is seeking appropriate remedies from the court, which could include nullification of the results or other corrective measures.
Kiyaga has made it clear that should the ruling on jurisdiction not go in his favour, he intends to escalate the matter to the High Court.
Tomorrow’s ruling will not determine who won the election, but rather whether the Grade One Court in Mukono is legally empowered to hear and determine the petition.
The decision is expected to set the course for the next phase of the dispute, either opening the door for a full hearing of the petition or pushing the parties to seek redress in a higher court.
Residents of Ntenjeru–Kisoga Town Council now await the court’s pronouncement, which could significantly shape the political leadership of their area in the months ahead.
