The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Legal Tribunal has so far processed more than 120 petitions arising from the party’s recent primary elections, with at least 15 petitioners voluntarily withdrawing their cases, officials have said.
Counsel Enoch Barata, the NRM Director of Legal Services, revealed the figures during a media briefing on the second day of petition hearings held at the NRM Legal Tribunal headquarters in Nakasero.
“We are experiencing a seamless flow of activities here. As of today, 120 petitions have been concluded. We’ve streamlined and merged similar cases to save time allocated for the petition review,” Barata stated.
He welcomed the withdrawals as a sign of growing confidence in the internal electoral process.
“We’ve seen around 15 petitions withdrawn voluntarily, which is a positive sign—demonstrating that candidates acknowledge the electoral process as transparent and credible,” he added.
Barata noted that, according to tribunal guidelines, rulings on parliamentary aspirants’ petitions are typically issued within seven days of their hearing.
“Ordinarily, judgments are delivered within seven days unless the tribunal determines the need for more time, as the rules permit such an extension. But the standard timeline remains seven days from the date the hearing is conducted,” he explained.
He also warned against attempts to subvert justice, cautioning petitioners and respondents alike against dealing with fraudsters who claim to influence tribunal outcomes through informal channels.
“Only tribunal panels based at the official NRM Tribunal premises handle these matters. Any claims of influence from outside actors are false and should be reported,” Barata emphasized.
The hearings continue this week as the party works to resolve all internal disputes ahead of the 2026 general elections.
