Busiro East parliamentary election petitioner Abdul Kiyimba has attracted attention in court after requesting a Luganda interpreter during his testimony, saying he could not adequately speak English.
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate made the request on Friday, October 30, 2026, while challenging the victory of incumbent MP Emmanuel Matovu Magoola before Justice George Okello.
The request reportedly prompted the judge to question Kiyimba about his ability to communicate in English and his claimed Senior Six educational background, with the exchange raising further questions about his academic credentials.
Kiyimba petitioned the court after losing the January 2026 parliamentary election to Magoola, who contested as an independent candidate backed by the National Unity Platform (NUP). Electoral Commission results showed Magoola won with 45,625 votes against Kiyimba’s 28,499.
The petitioner alleges irregularities in the tallying process and disputes the declaration of Magoola as the winner. The case has also involved questions over the authenticity of more than 130 Declaration of Results forms, which Magoola’s legal team has challenged, reportedly citing police forensic findings.
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The court is yet to make a final determination on the petition, which will decide whether Magoola’s victory stands.
