The Hoima Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered an immediate recount of votes cast in the election for National Female Youth Representative to Parliament, held on February 6, 2026, at Hoima City Stadium.

The Electoral Commission of Uganda had declared Mercy Kanyesigye the winner after she polled 216 votes as an independent candidate.

Diana Kampe Ampaire of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) came second with 198 votes, while independent candidate Julia Muhumuza secured 24 votes. Edith Namande Nakayiza of the National Unity Platform (NUP) trailed with one vote, according to results announced by Kampala District Returning Officer Jennifer Kyobutungi.

However, Ampaire challenged the outcome, filing Miscellaneous Cause No. 06 of 2026 against Kanyesigye, the Electoral Commission, and the Returning Officer, citing alleged irregularities in the tallying process.

In an affidavit sworn in Kampala by her lawyers from Factum Advocates, Ampaire argued that the declared results did not reflect the true outcome of the election. She alleged that several votes cast in her favour were wrongly recorded as votes for Kanyesigye.

She further claimed that Presiding Officer Ivan Munanura conducted the vote count in a manner that misallocated her votes, and that the figures recorded on the Declaration of Results Form did not correspond with the actual ballots cast, among other alleged electoral flaws.

During the hearing, which began last Friday, Chief Magistrate George Kunihira adjourned the matter to Tuesday.

In his ruling delivered Tuesday afternoon, Kunihira ordered a recount of all votes cast, noting that Ampaire and her polling agents had raised genuine concerns during the counting process that were allegedly ignored by both the Presiding Officer and the Returning Officer.

The court further directed the Electoral Commission to immediately deliver the ballot box containing all voting materials used in the February 6 election to facilitate the recount process.

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