LC5 chairman accused of “hiring wife” to retain his electoral victory 

By Zainab Namusaazi 

Emmanuel Kamihingo will have to wait until October 2, 2021 to find out if he can retain his seat as the Ntuusi town council LC5 chairperson. 

Kamihingo’s victory in the January 2021 polls was challenged by Godfrey Byakatonda. Byakatonda is represented by Lwemiyaga parliamentarian Theodore Ssekikubo. 

Byakatonda argues that Kamihingo does not deserve to be the Ntuusi LC 5 because he is not a resident of the area. He claims that Kamihingo failed to participate in the election as a voter because he is actually not registered in the Ntuusi town council voters register. 

Byakatonda states in his petition that Electoral Commission records indicate that Kamihingo’s name was entered in the Ntuusi voters registry on January 19, 2021. Byakatonda points out that this was the time when the voters registry verification was already underway.  

Byakatonda’s lawyer Ssekikubo claims that Kamihingo is actually registered to vote at Kamwoshe polling station in Nabitanga sub county. Ssekikubo says there are documents that show Kamihingo is a resident of Kigabagaba in Kashozikaamwe parish, Birongo sub county. 

But Kamihingo claims that the fact that he has a farm and house in Kamwoshe village maybe the cause of confusion. 

Kamihingo amused court by explaining that he has two families; one resident in Kigabagamba and the other in Ntuusi town council. 

Kamihingo was the LC3 Chairperson of greater Ntuusi before it was split into three sub counties that are Birongo, Nyabitanga and Ntuusi town council. 

He says that after the split of greater Ntuusi, he was informed the electoral commission that he could choose where to contest from as he had been the area’s last LC3 chairperson. 

“This is why I decided to contest in Ntuusi town council because I also have a family there,” Kamihingo informed court.

But Byakatonda’s lawyer Ssekikubo challenged Kamihingo’s claim that he has a second family in Ntuusi. 

Ssekikubo told court that the woman Kamihingo claims is his wife, a one Esther Namara, is actually the wife of one of Kamihingo’s tenants. The tenant was identified as Geoffrey Tandeka. 

Ssekikubo concluded by calling upon court to cancel Kamihingo’s victory and hand it to his client Byakatonda. He says Byakatonda is the rightful winner because he is a well known resident of Ntuusi. 

The presiding Magistrate  Easter Nambayo informed the petitioner and defendant that she will make her ruling on October 2 as she adjourned the case. She urged the lawyers to present her with enough evidence through email before she makes her decision on October 2.