Tensions escalated at the Tororo Electoral Commission offices early this morning, where security forces sealed off all roads leading to the premises and barred public access.
Roadblocks were set up, with personnel ensuring no one could approach the area where election materials, including sensitive ballot boxes, were kept.
Inside the offices, prison wardens and other security officials were tasked with locating and securing ballot boxes from ten polling stations following a court-ordered recount.
The recount was initiated after Sarah Achieng Opendi filed a petition challenging the declaration of Angella Akoth as the winner of the 2026 general election for Tororo Woman MP.
Akoth had narrowly won with 78,542 votes—just 35 votes ahead of Opendi, who secured 78,507 votes. The razor-thin margin has fueled debate and heightened scrutiny of the electoral process.
Ballot Boxes Found Without Seals
The recount process faced immediate challenges when two of the ten ballot boxes were discovered without seals, sparking heated arguments between the legal teams of the rival candidates.
Opendi’s lawyer, Tumwesigye Humphrey, argued that while the missing seals were concerning, they did not necessarily invalidate the recount.
“The seals being open doesn’t mean the contents are unsafe. Therefore, we can’t stop the recount because of that. The court must proceed with the vote recount,” he said.
However, the legal team representing Angella Akoth strongly opposed proceeding under these conditions.
“That has never happened before, so it cannot begin here,” said Messia, Ssekyewa, Matovu & Company Advocates, representing Akoth.
They insisted the missing seals constituted a serious error and the recount should not continue.
The dispute led Tororo Chief Magistrate Irene Nantabya to adjourn the hearing to January 27th, promising a judgment on that day. Both candidates expressed hopes that the legal process would provide clarity.
Opendi remains confident, citing the slim 35-vote margin as evidence of potential irregularities.
“I have hope that the law will take its course because looking at the margin of 35 votes, it clearly indicates that something was wrong with the elections,” she said shortly after the hearing.
Akoth, the Woman MP-elect, expressed frustration with the delay.
“With opened seals, we never expected the judge to conclude this case today. Pushing it to another day was not called for, but we wait for the day,” she remarked.
Opendi has also rejected results from ten polling stations, alleging that they were omitted during tallying, and claimed one polling station recorded more votes than registered voters, fueling allegations of electoral malpractice.
With the court case still pending, attention now turns to the January 27th ruling. The political future of Tororo’s Woman MP seat remains uncertain as both candidates and their supporters await the final decision, amid heightened tensions and scrutiny of the electoral process.
