KITGUM – Denis Onekalit Amere has retained his Kitgum Municipality parliamentary seat after the High Court dismissed an election petition filed by State Minister for Water and Environment Beatrice Atim Anywar, who had sought to overturn his victory in the January 2026 elections.
In a ruling delivered on Monday, November 9, 2026, Justice Amos Kwizera found that Anywar had failed to provide sufficient evidence to prove the alleged electoral offences and irregularities to the required legal standard.
The court dismissed the petition with costs, thereby upholding Amere’s election.
Amere, who contested on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) ticket, secured 6,176 votes in the January 15 election, defeating Anywar, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, who polled 5,013 votes.
Dissatisfied with the outcome, Anywar challenged the results, accusing Amere, the Electoral Commission and Kitgum District Returning Officer Betty Atim Owot of presiding over an election marred by irregularities.
Her petition cited alleged voter bribery, intimidation, violence and harassment of her polling agents. She also accused election officials of colluding with Amere’s agents to influence the outcome of the election.
The minister further argued that the failure to use biometric voter verification kits created opportunities for multiple voting, ballot stuffing and voting by unauthorised persons.
However, the court ruled that the allegations had not been substantiated with sufficient evidence.
Justice Kwizera particularly found that the claims of violence and intimidation had not been proved as electoral offences attributable to Amere under Section 80(1)(c) of the Parliamentary Elections Act.
“No single electoral offence or malpractice as alleged by the petitioner has been proved to the required standard,” the judge stated.
The petition also encountered procedural challenges during the hearing. In September, the court dismissed Anywar’s application seeking the production of the voters’ register for inspection.
The cross-examination of witnesses was later abandoned after three of her lawyers were involved in a road accident while travelling to Kitgum. The case subsequently proceeded largely through affidavits and written submissions.
Anywar previously represented the area twice on the FDC ticket before crossing to the NRM, under which she has served as State Minister for Environment since 2019.
Amere was represented by Asuman Basalirwa & Company Advocates and Barirere & Company Advocates. Anywar was represented by Cumberland Advocates and Bashasha & Company Advocates, while the Electoral Commission and the returning officer were represented by ALP Advocates.
The judgment was electronically transmitted to the parties’ advocates in accordance with the Judicature (Electronic Filing, Service and Virtual Proceedings) Rules, 2025.
With the petition dismissed, Amere retains his parliamentary seat as the duly elected MP for Kitgum Municipality.
