MUKONO, – Mukono County North Member of Parliament Abdallah Kiwanuka has challenged the admissibility of three video recordings presented in court by former State Minister for Water Ronald Kibuule in an ongoing election petition challenging his victory in the January 2026 parliamentary elections.
Kiwanuka, who is defending his election before Mukono High Court, through his legal team objected to the introduction of the videos, arguing that their authenticity and the circumstances under which they were recorded had not been sufficiently established.
The three videos were played during the court proceedings as Kibuule’s legal team sought to have them admitted as evidence in support of the petition. However, Kiwanuka’s lawyers raised three major objections, questioning the reliability of the recordings.
First, the defence argued that the person seeking to introduce the videos was not the individual who recorded them and therefore could not adequately account for their origin.
Secondly, Kiwanuka’s lawyers questioned the authenticity of the recordings, arguing that there was no sufficient guarantee that the videos presented before court were genuine.
The defence also raised concerns over the failure to disclose the gadgets used to record the videos, arguing that the circumstances surrounding their production and handling needed to be established before they could be accepted as evidence.
The recordings reportedly contain statements allegedly made by Kiwanuka during campaign meetings in which he accused his political rival, Kibuule, of involvement in killings and kidnappings. These claims form part of the issues being contested in the election petition.
In another development during the hearing, Kibuule’s side also sought to introduce an Airtel financial transaction report as additional evidence. Kiwanuka’s legal team equally objected, arguing that the individual presenting the document was not its author and could not properly testify about its contents.
The defence consequently asked the court to reject both the video recordings and the financial transaction report on grounds relating to their authenticity, proper handling and evidentiary foundation.
The presiding judge reserved a ruling on the objections for Monday, November 9, at 2:00 PM, with the decision expected to be communicated through the Electronic Case Management System.
The case is expected to resume on Tuesday, November 10, at 10:00 AM, when the parties anticipate proceeding with the cross-examination of a witness identified as Mr Chibueze and any other witnesses presented in court.
Kibuule, who contested the Mukono County North parliamentary seat, filed the election petition seeking to overturn Kiwanuka’s victory in the January 15, 2026 elections. The Electoral Commission declared Kiwanuka the winner, but Kibuule is challenging the outcome through court.
The petition contains allegations of electoral irregularities, including voter bribery, undue influence, defamatory statements and other alleged breaches of electoral laws. These allegations remain subject to determination by the court.
As the hearing continues, Kiwanuka’s challenge to the proposed evidence has introduced another important legal contest in the petition, with the court expected to determine whether the disputed recordings and financial document meet the requirements for admission as evidence.
