NRM tribunal dismisses MP Alyek’s election loss petition

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Election Disputes Tribunal has dismissed petitions filed by Kole District Woman MP Judith Alyek, effectively ending her challenge to the party’s primary results.

The ruling confirms her rival, Sandra Aceng, as the official NRM flag bearer for the 2026 general elections.

While the tribunal acknowledged irregularities—including 3,250 votes wrongly added to Aceng’s tally and 410 votes improperly deducted from Alyek’s—it concluded that the 1,861 vote margin did not significantly impact the outcome.

On Thursday, August 14, 2025, the tribunal panel, led by Ronald Tusingwire and chaired by John Musiime alongside member Patrick Rutembana, dismissed Alyek’s petition, upholding Aceng’s win.

Alyek had also contested Aceng’s eligibility, arguing she had not formally resigned from her position as a physical planner in Dokolo district prior to the primaries.

In the July 17, 2025, NRM primaries, Alyek polled 11,005 votes against Aceng’s 20,215—a nearly double margin that left many voters surprised by Alyek’s decision to challenge the results.

Separately, the tribunal also dismissed a petition by MP Molly Kaducu, who had alleged voter intimidation, bribery, and result manipulation in her race against Godfrey Kirungi.

The panel, led by Paul Rutisya, upheld Kirungi’s victory, stating that only the official July 17 results were valid and that later conflicting reports lacked credibility.

The rulings are part of the tribunal’s third batch of decisions, bringing the total resolved parliamentary primary petitions to over 150.