Ajuri, Alebtong | Uganda’s general presidential and parliamentary elections were held on January 15, 2026, with the law requiring that results be declared within 48 hours.
But in Ajuri county, Alebtong district, the parliamentary race descended into confusion, tension, and dispute, leaving voters without a declared winner days after polling.
At the centre of the storm was a high-stakes contest between Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and Fred Jalameso of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC), alongside three other contenders.
Tallying for Ajuri County was conducted at the Alebtong District Council Hall. As of January 17 at 5pm, UPC’s Jalameso appeared to be in the lead with 14,331 votes, with Obua trailing with 12,963 votes, a difference of 1,368 votes.
In some sub-counties across Ajuri, the race was tight, especially between Jalameso and Obua.
According to the provisional results by the EC, in Adwir sub-county, Jalameso scored 1,290 votes while Obua got 1,434 votes. In Abako, Jalameso got 3,973 votes against Obua’s 3,463 votes.
In Omoro sub-county, Jalameso got 2,236 votes while Obua got 2,214 votes. Meanwhile, in Amugo sub-county, Jalameso got 2,715 votes while Obua got 1,590 votes
The figures heightened expectations among supporters and agents, who anticipated a prompt declaration.
Instead, the process dragged on for hours beyond the expected timeframe. Despite provisional results being publicly displayed, the Alebtong District Returning Officer, Jessica Adongo Ocen, did not declare the outcomes. The delay sparked anxiety, suspicion, and heated exchanges at the tally centre.
According to the law, the declaration of parliamentary election results is governed by the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap. 177.
According to Section 78, after polling closes, the Electoral Commission must ascertain, declare, and publish the results for each constituency within forty-eight hours.
The declaration must be made in writing under the seal of the Commission, and the Commission is further required to prepare and submit a report on the conduct of the election.
Furthermore, tensions escalated when results from two sub-counties were presented for tallying but failed to match figures recorded on polling station declaration forms.
UPC agents protested, accusing election officials of manipulating figures. Jalameso and his supporters refused to leave the tally room, demanding explanations and accountability.
Following these protests, tallying for Ajuri County was restarted after Jalameso formally contested the results. He alleged widespread vote rigging in more than 10 polling stations in Awei sub-county, which has 32 polling stations.
According to Jalameso, in some stations, the votes attributed to Obua exceeded the number of registered voters, a claim that further inflamed the dispute.
As emotions ran high, the Alebtong Resident District Commissioner, Geoffrey Okiswa, appealed for calm, urging all parties to allow lawful processes to take their course.
Security was tightened on Friday, with Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) heavily deployed in Alebtong Town Council to prevent the situation from spiralling into violence.
Tensions at the tally centre worsened when the UPC National Party Chairperson, Brenda Kinyera, was assaulted by security personnel inside the hall.
The incident was strongly condemned by UPC Party President Jimmy James Michael Akena, who witnessed the assault, adding a political dimension to an already volatile situation.
In response to Jalameso’s formal complaint, the Electoral Commission, led by the Regional Election Officer for Northern Uganda, Higenyi Jackson Pabire, conducted a recount of votes from the entire Awei sub-county.
Jalameso argued that the results announced earlier by the Commission differed from those recorded on declaration forms at polling stations.
During the recount, the Commission reportedly discovered serious irregularities. Some ballot boxes that were supposed to contain election materials were found empty, raising fresh questions about the integrity of the process.
As a result, the Commission nullified the results from the affected polling stations.
The Electoral Commission subsequently ordered a fresh election in 18 polling stations in Ajuri County, all located in Awei sub-county.
Ajuri County has five parliamentary contenders: incumbent Denis Hamson Obua (NRM), Fred Jalameso (UPC), Emmanuel Ongom Okwel (FDC), and two independent candidates, Stephen Omara and Jasper Molo.
According to figures presented during the process, Okwel obtained 2,848 votes, representing 8.84% of the vote.
While the results for Moroto County and the Alebtong District Woman Member of Parliament seat were declared earlier without incident, the results for Ajuri County remained unresolved.
Despite the EC’s directive, Jalameso has objected to the decision to conduct a fresh election, citing financial and logistical constraints.
“This is something we are not accepting, and we are saying the Electoral Commission must task the candidates who participated in the election to bring their declaration forms,” Jalameso said.
He further claimed that hidden interests were influencing the process to protect the incumbent.
“In other places, as long as three-quarters of polling station results are obtained, results are declared. But here, it appears the interest of someone is being protected,” he argued.
As Ajuri heads toward a fresh poll in part of the constituency, the question remains unresolved: did UPC’s Fred Jalameso defeat Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua at the ballot, only for the outcome to be delayed and contested?
For now, Ajuri’s voters wait as the Electoral Commission prepares for the January 27 rerun in contested polling stations, hoping the rerun will finally deliver a clear and credible MP-elect.
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