Fresh controversy has engulfed Uganda’s Democratic Party (DP) following explosive allegations of widespread electoral fraud in the party’s recent presidential election, which saw Norbert Mao controversially re-elected as party president.
The disputed election took place in Mbarara, where rival candidate Alitia Elia has accused Mao’s camp of orchestrating a sophisticated vote-rigging scheme—including the mysterious introduction of a previously unseen “Ballot Box 12”—to inflate Mao’s final tally.
In a detailed statement released on Sunday, Alitia described dramatic scenes at the tally center, where the alleged fraud reportedly unfolded in full view of police and army officers.
According to Alitia, once voting ended, election officials abruptly shifted the tallying process from an open tent to a secured hotel room, barring access to most candidates and their agents. Only seven individuals—four candidates and three agents representing another candidate, Dr. Lulume Bayiga—were allowed inside.
It was during this chaotic relocation, Alitia claims, that the mysterious “Box 12” suddenly appeared. Delegates had originally cast their votes in Ballot Box 19, and polling officially closed at 6:00 a.m. However, Box 12—which surfaced only after voting had concluded—allegedly contained more than 500 pre-marked ballots in favor of Mao.
“There were less than five un-ticked ballot papers in that box, which I think were accidentally forgotten,” Alitia recounted.
Despite resistance from some officials, police officers—exhausted after working over 72 hours without food—insisted that the tally resume. The Electoral Commission reluctantly complied.
Alitia further alleged that over 500 of his valid votes were declared invalid in the presence of observers and effectively replaced by ballots from Box 12, securing Mao’s landslide win. “The EC chair closed his eyes for 30 minutes, lost his ability to speak, and the entire room fell into stunned silence,” he said
The allegations extended beyond Box 12. Alitia claimed that some delegates from Eastern, Western, and Northern Uganda voted multiple times, with several reportedly receiving double ballot papers. A verified delegates list was never provided to the candidates, and, shockingly, children as young as 14 were allegedly allowed to vote.
University students, members of local drama groups, and even sacks of pre-ticked ballots were reportedly intercepted by police. Alitia also accused the Electoral Commission (EC) chair of bypassing proper vote counts for other party positions, announcing winners directly to national media without disclosing either tallies or opposing candidates.
In addition, 109 candidates were disqualified without any opportunity for appeal, and 31 others were declared unopposed by what Alitia called a “unilateral decision.”
He described the EC chairperson as “boastful, arrogant, and proud,” presiding over what he called “a successful robbery.”
Mao’s camp maintains the election was fair. In response to the fraud claims, Mao said, “I have heard stories of people who have invested heavily just to fight me. I have never seen this type of money in DP campaigns since I became a party member.”
Addressing threats of legal action, Mao added, “I want to send out a clear warning to those who think DP is a playground. It’s a battleground.”
Despite the allegations, Alitia praised the conduct of security personnel, stating that they refused unlawful orders to forcibly remove dissenting candidates from the tally center. “The police and army officers present are the core witnesses to everything that happened. They are our remaining hope for safety in Uganda,” he said.
The controversial election has deepened divisions within Uganda’s oldest political party, just over a year before the 2026 general elections. With accusations of ballot stuffing, underage voting, and systemic manipulation dominating headlines, the Democratic Party’s credibility as a democratic institution is under severe scrutiny.
Observers now warn that unless the party restores internal accountability and legitimacy, it risks political irrelevance—fading from its former status as a post-independence symbol of pluralism into an embattled political shell.
