Masaka High Court to Deliver Mawogola Election Petition Verdict in December

The legal battle surrounding the Mawogola County parliamentary seat is nearing its climax. The Masaka High Court has announced that it will deliver its long-awaited verdict on December 19 regarding an election petition filed by former MP Gorreth Namugga against the incumbent legislator, Dez Oswaldo Byuuma.

Justice Rosette Comfort Kania set the ruling date following the conclusion of witness testimonies on October 31. The final witness for the respondents was Enoch Kugonza, the principal legal officer for the Electoral Commission. During his testimony, Kugonza refuted allegations that the electoral body recruited partisan or illiterate presiding officers during the January 15 elections.

However, Kugonza faced intense questioning from the petitioner’s legal team, led by Evans Ocheing and Caleb Alaka. The lawyers pressed him on significant discrepancies, including altered results and polling stations where the total votes cast reportedly exceeded the number of registered voters. Approximately 20 polling stations, such as Katimba B and Kasaana Primary School, have been flagged for alleged falsifications and result alterations.

During cross-examination, Kugonza admitted he was not the author of the contested Declaration of Results (DR) forms. Respondent lawyer Geoffrey Kandebe requested clearer copies of the disputed documents, a request granted by Justice Kania after objections from lawyer Alaka regarding submission timelines.

The court has outlined a strict schedule for the final stages of the trial. The petitioner must file written submissions by November 12, followed by the respondent on November 23. Both legal teams have until November 30 to submit their rejoinders before the final judgment in December.

Outside the courtroom, both camps expressed confidence. Lawyer Haruna Ssewaya maintained that Byuuma secured a legitimate victory, while Namugga insisted that extensive evidence of electoral malpractices justifies nullifying the results. Official Electoral Commission records indicate Byuuma won the contest with 25,781 votes.

Read the original report on the Daily Monitor.