Supreme Court in Kampala commenced the hearing of an election application arising from a petition challenging the victory of President-elect Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in the January 15, 2026 presidential election.
The application, Presidential Election Application No. 1 of 2026, was filed by former presidential candidate Robert Kasibante and seeks court orders compelling President Museveni and the Electoral Commission to disclose and grant access to key electoral documents and electronic systems used during the conduct of the election. Kasibante is seeking access to the electronic voting, transmission, and tallying systems used in the presidential election.
The application forms part of the main election petition in which he challenges the validity of President-elect Museveni’s victory. The respondents in the petition are President Museveni, the Electoral Commission of Uganda, and the Attorney General.
In his application, Kasibante asks the court to order President Museveni to make discovery on oath of documents in his possession or power relating to the matters in question in the petition. These include a list of all polling stations where polling was conducted during the 2026 presidential election, copies of Declaration of Results forms from all polling stations, backend for the Biometric Voter Verification System, backend data for the Electronic Results Transmission and Dissemination System, and backend data of the tallying system used by the Electoral Commission at the National Tally Centre in Lubowa.
Kasibante further wants the Electoral Commission directed to grant him access to the backend systems of both the Electronic Results Transmission and Dissemination System and the tallying system for inspection and verification purposes.
He is also seeking permission to conduct forensic analysis of the two systems. He has asked that the costs of the application be borne by the respondents. The application was heard by a panel of nine Justices led by the Chief Justice, Dr. Flavian Zeija.
Other Justices on the panel were Lady Justice Percy Night Tuhaise, Justice Mike Chibita, Lady Justice Elizabeth Musoke, Justice Stephen Musota, Justice Christopher Madrama Izama, Lady Justice Dr. Catherine Bamugemereire, Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi, and Justice Kibeedi Muzamiru Mutangula. All parties were represented in court.
The learned Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka appeared for the Government. The Electoral Commission was represented by Eric Sabiiti, together with the former Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana. Counsel appearing for President Museveni included Edwin Karugire, Ebert Byenkya, Usaama Sebuufu, Enoch Barata, among others.
This sitting marked the maiden sitting of Chief Justice Dr. Flavian at the Supreme Court since his appointment last week.
The Court scheduled the inter partes hearing of the main petition for February 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Under Section 59 of the Presidential Elections Act, the Supreme Court is required to conclude the hearing of the petition and deliver its judgment within 45 calendar days from the date of filing, which was January 18, 2026
