Kampala, Uganda: President Yoweri Museveni has lined up six witnesses to defend his 71 per cent victory in the January 15, 2026, presidential election, as the Supreme Court hearing of a petition challenging his re-election officially gets underway.
The petition, filed by former presidential candidate Robert Kasibante, the National Peasants Party presidential candidate, seeks the nullification of Museveni’s victory on grounds that the election was marred by widespread irregularities, illegal polling stations and non-compliance with electoral laws that substantially affected the final outcome.
According to documents filed in court, President Museveni’s witnesses include senior officials of the ruling National Resistance Movement and selected polling agents. They include NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong and the party’s Director of Legal Services Enoch Barata.
The remaining witnesses are Museveni’s polling agents from Kawempe Church of Uganda Primary School playground polling station in Katon–Kyak, Mbogo Primary School playground polling station in OJE–SSEMU, Lubowa Car Parking polling station, and Wandegeya Muslim Primary School polling station in Namas-Z. Museveni has also reserved the right to present additional witnesses identified after reviewing affidavits filed in support of the petition.
The witnesses were disclosed by Museveni’s legal team led by Ebert Byenkya, alongside Edwin Karugire, Usaama Sebuufu, Anthony Bazira, and John Musiime, who also chairs the NRM Election Disputes Tribunal.
The Electoral Commission, listed as the second respondent, has lined up twelve witnesses to defend the conduct of the election. These include EC Chairperson Simon Byabakama Mugenyi, Secretary to the Commission Richard Baabo Kamugisha, Director of Technical Support Services Solomon Muhumuza, and Head of Voter Data Management Ahmed Ochama.
Other EC witnesses include the Wakiso District Returning Officer and presiding officers from polling stations in Wandegeya, Ishongororo Market A, Mbogo Primary School (OJE–SSEMU), Kawempe Church of Uganda (Katon–Kyak), Nabweru Zimbena, Lubowa Car Parking, and Mabombwe Primary School polling station coded A-NAKAL. The Commission has also reserved the right to call additional witnesses with leave of court.
The third respondent, the Attorney General, has lined up two witnesses, Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi Karugaba and Director of Operations at the Uganda Police Force, Frank Mwesigwa, to support the government’s position.
The petition is being heard by a nine-member Supreme Court panel led by Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, alongside Justices Percy Night Tuhaise, Mike Chibita, Elizabeth Musoke, Stephen Musota, Christopher Madrama, Catherine Bamugemereire, Monica Mugenyi, and Muzamiru Mutangula Kibedi.
Before the substantive hearing commenced, Kasibante’s lawyers told court they had fully complied with earlier directions regarding the filing of submissions on the application seeking recovery of election documents from the Electoral Commission. Lead counsel John Isabirye said the submissions, responses and rejoinders were filed within time and served on all respondents, asking court to adopt them as final.
He also reminded court that parties had filed a joint scheduling memorandum on January 29, 2026, outlining agreed facts, issues for determination, documentary evidence and witness lists. The petitioner intends to call eight witnesses, subject to leave of court.
Kasibante alleges that the election was conducted in breach of the law governing the gazettement of polling stations. His lawyers, Ivan Bwowe and Julius Galisonga, argued that while about 38,000 polling stations were gazetted in April 2025, the EC allegedly created and deployed an additional 15,000 polling stations without gazettement.
Kasibante has also alleged irregularities in tallying, counting and transmission of results, as well as non-compliance in the use of Biometric Voter Verification machines. Government lawyers, led by Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, argued that the claims were vague and failed to identify any specific district, tally centre or affected result.
The petitioner further accused state agencies of electoral offences, including voter bribery, abusive language and partisan involvement of the army. The Attorney General objected to classifying army involvement as an electoral offence, prompting the court to advise that the matter be addressed under non-compliance rather than criminality.
But Justice Catherine Bamugemereire challenged the petitioner’s lawyers to identify at least one polling station where voting took place without gazettement. The lawyers conceded they were unable to do so at this stage, citing lack of disclosure by the EC.
Museveni was declared winner of the election with 7,946,772 votes, defeating Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, who garnered 2,741,238 votes.
Kasibante who finished 6th in the eight-man race, obtained 33,440 votes and is asking court to nullify the election, cancel the declared results, order fresh polls, invalidate results from allegedly illegal polling stations, compel a full audit of election materials and award costs.
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