Kampala, Uganda: The High Court in Kampala has dismissed an application filed by Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo in which he sought to block the nomination of Emmanuel Rwashande, ruling that the challenge was filed outside the strict timelines set under election law.
In a ruling delivered on Tuesday, January 06, Justice Joyce Kavuma held that courts have no power to extend the five-day deadline for appealing decisions of the Electoral Commission, even where an applicant claims delays in receiving a ruling.
Ssekikubo and Rwashande were both cleared by the Electoral Commission to contest for the Lwemiyaga parliamentary seat in Sembabule District ahead of the January 15, 2026, general elections.
After inspecting Rwashande’s nomination papers, Ssekikubo petitioned the Electoral Commission, arguing that the nomination failed to meet legal requirements. The Commission dismissed the complaint in a decision delivered on December 3, 2025.
Ssekikubo later moved to the High Court, asking the judge to excuse the late filing of his appeal on grounds that the Electoral Commission delayed communicating its decision.
However, Justice Kavuma rejected the argument, noting that evidence before court showed the Commission served the ruling on Ssekikubo’s lawyers on the same day it was delivered, meaning the statutory five-day clock began running immediately.
“Election matters are a special type of case where time is of the essence, and the timelines set by law must be strictly followed,” Justice Kavuma ruled. She added that courts cannot extend deadlines fixed by Parliament, even where a candidate believes they have a valid justification.
As a result, the High Court struck out Ssekikubo’s appeal and dismissed his application to validate it, effectively clearing the way for Rwashande to remain on the ballot in the Lwemiyaga race.
However, the court directed that each party bears its own legal costs, observing that election disputes are matters of public importance and litigants should not be discouraged from seeking judicial redress.
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