Tumusiime Vows to Block Entebbe MP’s 2026 Candidature over Shs63M Debt

By Sadique Bamwita

ENTEBBE

The 2026 political ambitions for the Entebbe Municipality Legislator Hon Michael Kakembo Mbwatekamwa, hangs in balance after his predecessor, Hon. Rosemary Tumusiime who defeated him in 2016 parliamentary polls, has vowed to block his candidature in the 2026 parliamentary polls.

Hon. Tumusiime accuses Kakembo of failure to clear her debt worth Shs63 million which was awarded to her by court after Kakembo lost two electoral court cases against her.

While speaking to this reporter at the sidelines of Entebbe Municipal council head offices on August 29, 2024, Hon. Rosemary Tumusiime, the ex – legislator for Entebbe Municipality said Kakembo, seems to be playing childish games adding that he goes on telling the electorate how he is paying a court debt to her yet he has never paid a single coin ever since he lost the two electoral appeals arising from 2016 parliamentary elections.

Mrs. Tumusiime adds that initially her Lawyers had billed Kakembo Shs150m but after pleading with her and as a mother, she decided to chop the costs to Shs63 million which he has adamantly refused to pay despite earning good monthly payment.

She further noted that court has consistently issued several warrants of arrest to arrest and produce him in court but the legislator has on several occasions escaped arrest. She added that she won’t give up until Kakembo pays her debt to zero balance warning that short of this, she is ready to frustrate him from seeking the second term in office.

It should be remembered that in 2016, Hon. Micheal Kakembo lost to Hon. Tumusiime with a margin of 40 votes and he went on to challenge her victory by filing a petition against her and the electoral commission. The then presiding Judge Justice Henry Kaweesa quashed and dismissed with costs his electoral petition.

Kakembo had filed an electoral petition in the High Court Kampala accusing Rose Tumusiime (NRM) and the Electoral Commission of rigging the February 18, 2016 Parliamentary
polls.

In his petition, Kakembo accused Rose Tumusiime and Electoral Commission officials of ballot stuffing, unlawful cancellation of results at Kigungu Polling Station (O-Z), and inflating voter’s register in Banga polling station (A-M) from 780 voters to 1029 voters and voter bribery.

Kakembo in his petition also alleged that security organs specifically the military personnel disenfranchised his voters at several polling stations claiming that they were beaten and denied
to vote.

However in his Judgment, Justice Kaweesa concurred with Sarah Bukirwa, then Wakiso District returning officer who in her affidavit categorically stated that in Banga polling Station, the actual registered voters were 1029 voters and not 870 voters as had been pointed out in the petition.

In the affidavit, Sarah Bukirwa indicated that the final voter’s register of 1029 voters was delivered on polling day adding that Kakembo’s register that he presented in the petition was old and had been issued during the updating exercise way back in August 2015.

Justice Kaweesa also concurred with Sarah Bukirwa who lawfully canceled results of all the 13 candidates in Kigungu polling Station (O-Z) that totaled up to 379 votes. Justice Kaweesa indicated that even if all the 379 votes cast were to be awarded to the petitioner (Kakembo) still Rose Tumusiime would still emerge the winner of the election.

On the issue of intimidation of voters by security agencies, then Entebbe Municipality District Police Commander Godfrey Ninsiima in his affidavit categorically stated that the Presidential and Parliamentary elections conducted on the February 18, 2016 were peaceful and no voter was chased away from any polling station.

Justice Henry Kaweesa summed up Michael Kakembo’s petition and 79 affidavits as fake, filled with so many forgeries, based on rumors and hearsay and were all defective. Justice Kaweesa pointed out that he rejected many of the petitioner’s (Kakembo) affidavits because they were forged, had similar signatures and handwritings word for word.

He said that Kakembo filed cosmetic affidavits which were largely a copy and paste work with so many errors. Shortly after Justice Kaweesa dismissed the case, Rose Tumusiime broke down in tears and could only be comforted by her children and family.