Iganga, Uganda: The Bukooli South Member of Parliament, Adidwa Abdu, has been dragged to the High Court in Iganga over allegations of changing names multiple times and forging academic qualifications to contest in the January 15 election.
The petition, filed as Election Petition No. 006 of 2026 by runner-up Sande Clement Achoga, accuses Adidwa and the Electoral Commission of fraud, impersonation, and illegal nomination, seeking nullification of the election or a declaration that the petitioner is the rightful winner.
Multiple identities questioned
According to the affidavit, the petitioner claims that Adidwa allegedly operated under different identities before contesting for Parliament.
The documents indicate that the MP-elect first changed names from “Barasa Ongeso Godfrey” to “Adidwa Abdu” through a deed poll registered in August 2020.
Barely a month later, another deed poll allegedly reflects a second name change from “Namaani Grace” to “Adidwa Abdu,” raising suspicion over what the petitioner describes as deliberate identity manipulation.
The petition further claims that records from the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) show “Namaani Grace” and “Adidwa Abdu” as separate individuals, suggesting possible impersonation.
Forgery, Academic Qualification Claims
Achoga also alleges that Adidwa forged academic qualifications to meet the legal threshold for parliamentary candidates.
The petition cites a report from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), which allegedly indicates that the MP-elect did not study beyond Senior Two and lacks the Advanced Level certification required for nomination.
Despite this, Adidwa is said to have obtained a certificate through a mature-age entry scheme from the Islamic University in Uganda, approved by the National Council for Higher Education in 2025.
The petitioner argues that the certificate is invalid, claiming it was acquired using a fraudulent identity and therefore does not meet the requirements under the Parliamentary Elections Act.
The Electoral Commission is also faulted for allegedly failing to verify the candidate’s identity and academic credentials before nomination and gazettement.
Court filings show Adidwa was gazetted as the elected MP on March 2, 2026, a move the petitioner argues enabled an ineligible candidate to participate in and win the election.
What Next
The High Court is expected to hear the petition within strict timelines set under Uganda’s electoral laws. If the court finds merit in the claims, it may nullify the election or order a fresh poll. Alternatively, the results could be upheld if the allegations are not proven.
The respondents (Adidwa and Electoral Commission), have been given 10 days to file their defense, failure of which the case will proceed in their absence.
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