MP Rukaari Loses Bid to Overturn Loss in Mbarara City North NRM Primary

The NRM Elections Disputes Tribunal has upheld the election of businessman-cum-politician Christopher Bakashaba as the party’s flag bearer for Member of Parliament in Mbarara City North Division, dismissing three petitions, including one from incumbent MP Robert Rukaari.

The petitions, lodged separately and later consolidated, were filed by Rukaari, former MP Michael Tusiime, and lawyer Isaac Kato, who challenged the outcome of the July 17, 2025, NRM primaries, citing alleged election irregularities. 

The Tribunal on Monday ruled that the petitioners failed to present credible evidence proving allegations of electoral malpractice, voter disenfranchisement, and non-compliance with party election rules. Bakashaba, a political newcomer in Mbarara City North, won the hotly contested primary with 5,194 votes. Rukaari followed with 2,975, Tusiime trailed slightly behind with 2,814, while Kato obtained 1,581 votes.

In his petition, Rukaari alleged that non-registered persons were allowed to vote in several polling areas and accused Bakashaba of bribing voters at a rally in Katerananga, Rwenjeru Ward. However, he did not provide sworn affidavits or witness testimony to support these claims, relying instead on some declaration forms and spreadsheets that the Tribunal found unauthenticated. 

Tusiime, who previously served as area MP before Rukaari, claimed voting was prematurely halted at key polling stations like Kiyanja, and that results from Buremba I, Kashanyarazi, and Kamukuzi were irregularly tallied, allegedly disenfranchising more than 3,800 voters. He also accused polling officials of falsifying results in favor of Bakashaba. While his petition included multiple affidavits, the Tribunal ruled that the claims were speculative and unsupported by official DR forms or testimony from presiding officers. 

Kato alleged he was restricted from campaigning in several wards while Bakashaba moved freely and accused the returning officer of selectively favoring Bakashaba. The Tribunal observed that his petition was nearly identical to Rukaari’s, raising suspicion of coordination. He failed to submit any affidavit evidence or independent verification of the alleged misconduct. 

In his defense, Bakashaba denied all allegations and maintained that the election process was handled by the NRM Electoral Commission in accordance with party guidelines. He argued that even if voter turnout had been higher at the contested polling stations, there was no evidence that the additional votes would have favored the petitioners. The Tribunal, chaired by John Musiime with members Diana Kasabiiti, Hillary Kabiswa, and Ampaire Tumwebaze, ruled that the burden of proof lay with the petitioners and that none met the legal threshold. 

It noted that no disenfranchised voters submitted affidavits, no official documents were tendered to verify claims of tampering, and no credible evidence was offered to show that the alleged irregularities had a substantial effect on the outcome. The Tribunal stated that the election was conducted by NRM regulations and applicable laws, and that the results reflected the genuine will of party members in Mbarara City North. 

All three petitions were dismissed, affirming Bakashaba’s victory as the party’s flag bearer for the 2026 elections. Meanwhile, the Tribunal also dismissed a petition filed by Biraaro Ephraim Ganshanga challenging the outcome of the party’s primary elections for the Buhweju West Constituency. The Tribunal upheld the victory of Engineer Dr. John Bosco Koy Karisa as the duly elected NRM flag bearer, stating that the allegations raised against him were not backed by sufficient evidence.