Masaka Chief Magistrate Abert Asiimwe has officially declared Justine Nameere of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) the duly elected Woman Member of Parliament for Masaka City following the conclusion of a court-ordered vote recount.

The declaration was made after a three-day recount exercise conducted at the Masaka City Electoral Commission offices, covering ballots cast during the January 15, 2026 parliamentary election. The recount followed an application filed by Nameere in the Chief Magistrate’s Court challenging the initial results that had declared an opposition victory.

According to an official court return certificate signed by Magistrate Asiimwe, Justine Nameere secured 25,502 votes, the highest tally among the four candidates who contested the seat. Her closest rival, Rose Nalubowa of the National Unity Platform (NUP), obtained 23,176 votes. Juliet Nakabuye Kakande of the Democratic Front (DF) garnered 6,136 votes, while independent candidate Nanyonga Sauya received 5,921 votes.

The court’s decision effectively overturns the earlier declaration by the Electoral Commission, which had announced Nalubowa as the winner of the Masaka City Woman MP race. Magistrate Asiimwe ruled that the recount results provided a more accurate reflection of the will of the voters after discrepancies were identified in the original tally.

During the recount process, several irregularities were reportedly noted, including mismatches between ballot papers found in boxes and figures recorded on declaration forms at some polling stations. One ballot box was also excluded after it was found without a valid security seal, a factor the court considered in safeguarding the integrity of the recount.

Nameere had petitioned the court citing omitted results from certain polling stations and inconsistencies in vote tabulation, arguing that these anomalies substantially affected the final outcome of the election. The court agreed that a recount was necessary to establish the true results.

With the issuance of the signed return certificate, Justine Nameere is now legally recognized as the elected Woman Member of Parliament for Masaka City, clearing the way for her to assume office. The ruling is expected to have significant political implications in Masaka City and the wider Greater Masaka region, where the parliamentary contest has been closely watched.

The decision also reinforces the role of the judiciary in resolving electoral disputes and sets a precedent for handling contested election results in Uganda. While the ruling is final at the Chief Magistrate’s Court level, it remains to be seen whether any party will pursue further legal action.