Kampala, Uganda: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has formally responded to an election petition filed by former presidential candidate Robert Kasibante, asking the Supreme Court to dismiss the case and uphold his 71.6% re-election victory in the January 15, 2026, polls.
Mr Museveni’s response was filed on Monday, January 26, by his legal team led by lawyers Usaama Ssebuufu and Anthony Bazira, on behalf of the President, who was recently re-elected to a seventh term.
According to official results announced by the Electoral Commission on January 17, Museveni polled 7,946,772 votes, representing 71.65 per cent of the total ballots cast, an improved performance compared to his previous elections and a reaffirmation of the National Resistance Movement’s dominance.
Meanwhile, Kasibante, who contested on the Peasants Party ticket, finished sixth out of eight candidates with 33,440 votes. He subsequently filed a 1000+ page petition on January 17 under Article 104 of the Constitution and Section 61 of the Presidential Elections Act, naming Museveni, the Electoral Commission, and the Attorney General as respondents.
In his filings, Kasibante challenges both the conduct of the election and Museveni’s declaration as winner, alleging procedural irregularities, including the use of allegedly ungazetted polling stations and concerns surrounding the deployment of Biometric Voter Verification machines.
But in his response to the claims, Mr Museveni categorically denied all allegations, maintaining that the election was conducted in accordance with the Constitution and electoral laws. His legal team argued that the claims are without merit and fail to meet the strict legal threshold required to overturn a presidential election.
Voter turnout in the 2026 elections stood at 52 per cent, with Museveni registering strong support across multiple regions. Other notable contenders included Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, who finished second, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, and Gregory Mugisha Muntu.
Reacting to the filing, the Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) and Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs, Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, hailed the move by the legal team, saying Museveni’s decision to confront the petition through the courts demonstrated democratic maturity.
“This is a true mark of a courageous and visionary leader,” Namyalo said, adding that the President had chosen the rule of law over confrontation. She said party structures were ready to support the legal team with documentation, expressing confidence that the petition would be dismissed.
The Supreme Court is yet to issue directions on the hearing timetable. Under the Constitution, presidential election petitions are handled within strict timelines, and the court is expected to communicate the procedural schedule in due course.
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