Victoria University’s recently concluded 9th Guild Presidential elections have entered a new phase of legal scrutiny after runner-up Mujungu Marvin Kahuma formally petitioned the University Elections Petition Tribunal seeking to nullify the results.
According to the petition filed on February 20, 2026, Mujungu, a Year 2 student pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work and Social Administration, together with co-petitioner Hafsa Abdirahman Abdikadir, is challenging the declaration of Mugarura Isaiah Ndebwoha as the winner of the guild race.
The petitioners argue that although both candidates were recognized as official contenders by the Victoria University Electoral Commission, serious irregularities allegedly occurred throughout the electoral process. Among the key claims is that Mugarura’s campaign team reportedly continued mobilizing and influencing students on voting days, contrary to electoral guidelines requiring campaigns to halt at least 72 hours before polling.
The election itself was conducted online over two days, February 17 and 18, 2026. The petition alleges that during this period, there were abnormal voting patterns, including unusually rapid vote increases that raised suspicions of system compromise. The petitioners claim the voting system showed increments of over 100 votes per hour, which they describe as inconsistent with normal student participation trends.
Additionally, the petition asserts that members of the winning candidate’s team had previously made statements about gaining unauthorized access to the voting system, and that identity theft and digital manipulation were suspected during the voting period. These allegations form a central part of the petitioners’ request for a forensic audit of the university’s electronic voting platform.
The petition also accuses the Electoral Commission of failing to safeguard the system and allowing unauthorized access to student accounts during the voting process. The petitioners argue that this violated the Commission’s obligation to uphold integrity and impartiality.
Among the remedies sought are an order to quash the election results, a comprehensive forensic audit of the university’s voting platform, and a directive for a fresh guild presidential election.
The case now places Victoria University’s electoral procedures under intense scrutiny, particularly regarding the reliability of online voting systems used in student leadership elections.
