Mugisa moves to court, cites fraud and irregularities in Buruli election
CPA Julius Mugisa, also known as Jersey 26 and Dhano pa Dhano, a former aspirant for Member of Parliament for Buruli County, has announced plans to challenge the victory of the incumbent, Ronald Akugizibwe, in court, citing alleged election irregularities.
Addressing journalists at a press conference, Mugisa first thanked all citizens who participated in the elections for exercising their civic duty responsibly. He also sympathized with individuals who suffered during the electoral process, describing the elections as stressful and emotional. Mugisa highlighted incidents of violence, including the case of Ms Teddy, one of his agents in Bukooba, Kijunjubwa Sub-county, who reportedly lost two teeth after being attacked by supporters of the opposing camp.
“Although we carried on until the last minute of voting, what we experienced shows that the elections turned from a vote into alarms. Forty-five years ago, people complained about election irregularities, and forty years later we are seeing the same issues resurface at constituency level, particularly in Buruli,” Mugisa said.
He stressed that any credible election must meet the standards of fairness, transparency and credibility, which he argued were not met in Buruli County.
On transparency, Mugisa criticized the handling of results at the tally centre, stating that candidates must be allowed to object to results as declaration forms are displayed and tallied. He alleged that in Buruli County, only ten declaration forms were displayed, which he described as unacceptable.
“I have a summary of results without tallies. I cannot conclude that the arithmetic involved is correct, and we demand that the Electoral Commission provides a detailed tally sheet for all polling stations in Buruli County,” he said.
Mugisa further alleged that the elections failed the test of fairness, claiming that some voters cast ballots without being identified in the voters’ register, agents were intimidated and forced to vacate polling stations, and that there were instances of pre-ticked ballot papers in favor of the incumbent, Ronald Akugizibwe. He alleged that some of Akugizibwe’s agents were directly involved.
He commended the police for intervening after being informed, noting that they reportedly recovered pre-ticked ballot papers and abandoned tools allegedly used for electoral fraud, such as motorcycles and bags. Mugisa called on the police to expedite investigations and identify the source of the pre-ticked ballot papers. He also demanded that the Electoral Commission explain to the public whether the recovered materials were genuine electoral materials currently in police custody.
Mugisa also accused the Masindi District NRM Chairperson, Mrs Kabakumba Labwoni Matsiko, of interfering in the electoral process by allegedly causing divisions among contestants. He argued that contesting as an independent candidate is not a crime and does not automatically remove one from the NRM party.
“A person of her calibre going on radio to spread propaganda of hatred and castigating independent candidates as criminals is not fair. Such statements and actions cause deep divisions among the people and risk affecting future elections,” Mugisa said.
He appealed to the NRM leadership to restrain the actions of the Masindi District NRM chairperson, noting that President Yoweri Museveni advocates for unity, as well as free and transparent elections.
“I am not fighting for my own interests but for the interests of the many. Buruli County has experienced situations where election results do not reflect the will of the people for the past three to four terms. I came to challenge and halt these practices. Darkness must stop in Buruli,” Mugisa said.
He announced that he would pursue all available legal avenues to prove that the 2026 elections in Buruli County lacked transparency and fairness. Mugisa revealed that he has assembled a legal team from five law firms, two of which are offering pro bono services, while three are retained, to pursue justice on behalf of the people of Buruli.
“We have sufficient evidence that can lead to an overturn of these results, and we invite the public to submit additional evidence to strengthen our case,” he said.
Mugisa cautioned against celebrating leaders who emerge victorious through fraudulent elections, warning that such practices could plunge the country back into instability. He called upon President Museveni, the NRM party, the legal fraternity and government institutions to ensure thorough investigations and prosecutions of electoral offenses.
He said arrests of those involved in alleged electoral fraud would send a strong message ahead of the next elections slated for January 22, 2026, that no one is above the law.
Mugisa assured journalists that he would not rest until justice is served and the will of the people of Buruli County is represented through free and fair elections.
Meanwhile, Mr Kabindi Steven, one of Mugisa’s agents, described the situation as unfortunate, claiming that Buruli County had been terrorized and underserved for five years and that the same leadership had allegedly been imposed again through fraud.
Kabindi alleged that the voting exercise was grossly mismanaged, citing cases where NRM village chairpersons reportedly served as presiding officers, which he said compromised impartiality. He also alleged that in Kaikuku, Kijunjubwa Sub-county, some voters were given presidential ballot papers but denied those for Member of Parliament.
“It is unfortunate that someone invests time and resources to campaign, only for the process to be disorganized at the last minute by people who are allegedly bribed with small amounts of money,” Kabindi said.
He warned that such electoral malpractices could leave the county underserved, as leaders who win through fraud may feel disconnected from the electorate. Kabindi appealed to the Electoral Commission Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, to intervene, saying public confidence in the Masindi District Electoral Commission was waning.
In response, the Masindi District Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Mr Gustavus Kakaire, said he had not yet received any formal complaints regarding the election. He added that he was ready to respond to any allegations once they are officially submitted.
Kakaire also emphasized that any candidate dissatisfied with the declared results has a constitutional right to seek redress in the courts of law.
