• Justine Nameere plans to petition court for a vote recount in Masaka City

• She alleges results from 81 polling stations were excluded from the final tally

• NUP’s Rose Nalubowa was declared winner with 25,443 votes against Nameere’s 20,343

The NRM flag bearer Justine Nameere has announced plans to petition court seeking a recount of votes in the Masaka City Woman Member of Parliament race, accusing the Electoral Commission of irregularities and collusion that she says affected the final outcome.

Nameere lost the seat to National Unity Platform’s Rose Nalubowa, who was declared winner with 25,443 votes against Nameere’s 20,343.

Addressing supporters, Nameere said she would pursue legal redress, insisting that results from 81 polling stations were never counted.

 “We are going to take the legal route, which is very okay for me. I’m a lawyer by profession, so any remedy in the legal realm is business as usual,” Nameere said.

She revealed that she had formally written to the Masaka City returning officer, Haji Naduli, warning against any interference with election materials ahead of the planned court process.

 “I informed him that please don’t tamper with those boxes. That excuse will not be there because he knows I am petitioning court for a recount,” she said.

Nameere alleged that the returning officer attempted to negotiate with candidates before declaring results, a move she described as unprecedented.

“He told us he didn’t have results for 81 polling stations and asked if we could allow him to declare a winner using what he had. I told him I have never heard of a returning officer who negotiates for a win,” she added.

She claimed that some presiding officers and supervisors privately expressed discomfort with how the tallying process was handled, alleging document alterations and false promises.

Despite the loss, Nameere said she remained confident that court proceedings would overturn the results.

 “When court is done with this, trust me, Nameere shall be a winner. I won this election by a landslide,” she said.

Nameere also thanked residents of Masaka City for supporting President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, noting an increase in his vote tally in the city compared to the 2021 general election.

 “There is a great improvement in the President’s support in Masaka. He is very grateful and willing to continue supporting the people here,” she said.

She urged her supporters to remain calm as the legal process unfolds.

 “I urge my supporters to remain calm, focused and hopeful. I will stick to my people-centred manifesto,” Nameere said.