MASAKA HIGH COURT UPHOLDS RUTH KATUSHABE’S ELECTION AS BUKOMANSIMBI WOMAN MP

The High Court in Masaka has upheld the election of Hon. Ruth Katushabe as the Bukomansimbi District Woman Member of Parliament, dismissing an election petition filed by National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Veronica Nanyondo, who had challenged the outcome of the January 2026 parliamentary elections.

In a ruling delivered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Justice Rosette Comfort Kania upheld Katushabe’s victory, bringing to an end a closely contested legal battle over the parliamentary seat.

The court also ordered each party to bear its own legal costs, meaning neither side was awarded costs against the other.

The decision allows Katushabe to retain her parliamentary seat following months of legal proceedings in which Nanyondo sought to overturn the Electoral Commission's declaration of results.

A closely contested parliamentary race

The dispute arose from the narrow margin by which Katushabe defeated Nanyondo in the Bukomansimbi District Woman MP race.

According to the Electoral Commission results, Katushabe was declared the winner after polling 23,481 votes against Nanyondo's 23,275 votes, giving her a victory margin of just 206 votes.

The closeness of the contest became a major point of contention, with Nanyondo challenging the validity of the declared results and asking the court to examine alleged irregularities in the electoral process.

Nanyondo maintained her challenge through the election petition, seeking judicial intervention over the circumstances surrounding Katushabe's declaration as the duly elected representative.