Masaka Court Orders DR Form Examination in Kalungu West Election Petition

An election petition filed by former Kalungu West parliamentary candidate Ismael Ssemakula has taken a significant turn as the Masaka High Court orders a forensic examination of Declaration of Results (DR) forms. Ssemakula is challenging the election of the incumbent Member of Parliament, Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu, alleging electoral irregularities and falsification of results.

The petition, presided over by Justice Joyce Kavuma, focuses on the January 15, 2026 parliamentary election results. The contested polling stations include Kakunyu Trading Centre, Nakaseta Kisagazi, Nalunya Church of Uganda, and St Josephine Catholic Church in Bulawula.

These DR forms are crucial as they detail the vote count at each polling station before results are consolidated. Ssemakula’s legal team claims these documents were manipulated. To verify these allegations, the forms will be analyzed by experts at the Government Analytical Laboratory.

Ssewungu’s defense team had raised objections regarding the production and examination of these forms, as well as some of Ssemakula’s intended witnesses. However, the court dismissed an application to strike out the petitioner’s affidavits, allowing the evidence to be considered.

Justice Kavuma has directed Ssemakula to present 20 witnesses for cross-examination when the substantive hearing commences on October 3, 2026. Both parties will present their evidence and counter-arguments. The court awaits the Government Analytical Laboratory’s report on the DR forms to aid in its proceedings. Ssemakula lost the election by a narrow margin of 46 votes.

Source: Nile Post