The High Court sitting in Rukungiri has set September 24, 2026, for the substantive hearing of a petition challenging the election of Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi as Member of Parliament for Kinkiizi East County.
The petition was filed in March by former Kanungu District LC5 Chairperson Sam Arineitwe Kajojo, who is challenging Baryomunsi’s victory in the 2026 General Elections.
Baryomunsi, who was then serving as Minister for ICT and National Guidance, retained the Kinkiizi East seat with 23,830 votes against Kajojo’s 20,739.
The election also attracted Ruth Karungi Turyakira, Godfrey Akampa, FDC’s Arans Mark Tabaruka, PFF’s Benedicto Nuwamanya and independent candidates Alex Byamukama and Aggrey Naturinda.
In Election Petition No. 003 of 2026, filed through Ngaruye, Ruhindi Spencer & Co. Advocates, Kajojo alleges that Baryomunsi’s victory was marred by several electoral irregularities.
He alleges that voters were bribed in violation of Electoral Commission guidelines and further claims that his polling agents were assaulted and chased away from several polling stations by Baryomunsi’s supporters.
During Monday’s court session, Kajojo’s lawyers, led by Boniface Ruhindi Ngaruye, asked Justice Richard Wejuli Wabwire to allow them to file additional affidavits to the 36 already on the court record.
Justice Wabwire, the visiting judge handling election petitions in Rukungiri and Kanungu districts, granted the request but directed Kajojo’s lawyers to file the additional affidavits by September 16, 2026.
Baryomunsi and his legal team were directed to file their response by September 18.
Justice Wabwire subsequently fixed September 24, 2026, at 9:00am for the substantive hearing of the petition and directed all parties to comply with the court orders.
However, Baryomunsi dismissed the petition, saying Kajojo knew he had lost the election, having also failed to win the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries.
The Kinkiizi East petition is among several election disputes before the Rukungiri High Court.
By press time, Ingrid Turinawe, the PFF flag bearer who petitioned against the victory of retired General Henry Tumukunde, Minister for Gender, Labour and Social Development, in the Rukungiri Municipality parliamentary election, was also before the court.
Retired Assistant Inspector General of Police John Ngayure Ndungutse, who petitioned against the election of John Ruuji Kaberuka in Kinkiizi West County, was also awaiting the hearing of his petition.
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