Agency
The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and Member of Parliament-elect for Pece-Laroo Division in Gulu City, Norbert Mao, has formally responded to an election petition challenging his victory.
The petition was filed by Tony Kitara, a former candidate who contested on the NRM ticket in the Laroo-Pece Division parliamentary race.
Kitara lodged the petition at the High Court in Gulu City on April 1, 2026, contesting the outcome of the January 15 election in which the Electoral Commission declared Mao the winner.
Kitara finished third in the race with 2,867 votes against Mao’s 7,359.
Through his lawyers Caleb Alaka and Evans Ochieng, Kitara had applied for extra time to serve Mao after several attempts to deliver the petition failed.
In a ruling delivered on April 20, High Court Resident Judge Philip Odoki granted the application, extending the statutory time for service and authorizing substitute service through the Daily Monitor newspaper.
Following this ruling, Mega FM understands that Mao, through his legal team led by Francis Gimara, filed his defence on April 21.
Gimara confirmed that Mao had responded to the petition but declined to provide details.
Curiously, on April 30, Mao took to his official X account to appeal for financial support to fund his legal defence.
He called on his friends to contribute through bank and mobile money accounts managed by “Friends of Mao Club Ltd.”
