Mao, Kitara Agree to Withdraw Pece–Laroo Election Petition

What the report says

Justice Minister Norbert Mao and petitioner Tony Kitara have agreed, after mediation, to withdraw the election petition over the Pece–Laroo parliamentary race in Gulu. According to Nile Post, the agreement would end the court challenge filed after Uganda’s January 2026 elections and leave Mao’s victory in place, pending formal withdrawal in the High Court.

The article says lawyers for both men are preparing the paperwork before the High Court circuit sits on Thursday, September 17, 2026. Mao is being represented by Francis Gimara of ALP Advocates, while Kitara is represented by Caleb Alaka of Alaka & Co. Advocates. The dispute had centered on the seat Mao won, with Kitara alleging irregularities in the campaign and voting process.

Mao, who is also Democratic Party president and the sitting MP for Pece–Laroo, said the matter was better resolved through understanding than a long trial. Kitara said the settlement reflected both dialogue and his reading of Mao’s position in government. Both men said the decision followed consultations with mediators and their legal teams.

The development is part of a wider wave of election-petition hearings taking place in courts across Uganda after the 2026 polls. Nile Post also reported that Mao used the occasion to argue for faster handling of such cases, saying election disputes should be concluded quickly so constituencies are not left in uncertainty.