Former presidential candidate Robert Kasibante has petitioned the Supreme Court, challenging President Yoweri Museveni’s victory in the 2026 general election, alleging widespread irregularities, violence, voter bribery, and failure by the Electoral Commission to conduct a free and fair poll.
Museveni garnered nearly eight million votes, defeating opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, who garnered just under three million votes. The remaining six candidates shared a small fraction of the total vote.
The petition, filed within the constitutional timeline, adds to a long history of presidential election challenges in Uganda, none of which has so far succeeded in overturning the outcome.
The petition was lodged on Monday by Robert Kasibante, a former presidential candidate who contested on the National Peasants Party ticket.
It is brought against President Museveni, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, in a race that attracted eight candidates, the Electoral Commission (EC), and the Attorney General.
Kasibante says he is aggrieved by Museveni’s declaration as the duly elected president, arguing that the electoral process was marred by widespread illegalities, electoral offences, and non-compliance with the law, which he says substantially affected the outcome.
The presidential election was held on January 15, 2026, and the Electoral Commission declared Museveni the winner two days later after securing an overwhelming majority of the vote.
Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu finished a distant second, while the remaining candidates shared a relatively small fraction of the total vote. Under Article 104 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine presidential election petitions.
The law requires that any challenge to a presidential election be filed within 10 days after the declaration of results by the Electoral Commission.
Legal experts note that the formal gazettement of results is an administrative step and does not bar a petitioner from filing a case once the results have been officially declared.
Kasibante argues that the Electoral Commission failed in its constitutional duty to organise a free and fair election, alleging that it lacked independence and acted under the influence of the president, ruling party officials, and other state actors.
He claims this resulted in systematic bias against opposition candidates, selective enforcement of electoral laws, and unfair resolution of election-related disputes.
The petition further alleges that the campaign and election period were characterised by widespread violence, intimidation, and harassment of opposition candidates and their supporters, often involving state security agencies, particularly the police and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Kasibante claims that he and his supporters were attacked on several occasions during campaign activities, including incidents involving teargas and physical assaults by security personnel. He also cites disruptions of campaign events involving other opposition candidates in different parts of the country.
The petitioner further alleges that several supporters of opposition candidates lost their lives during the election period.
Kasibante accuses President Museveni, as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, of bearing responsibility for the conduct of the UPDF and other security agencies, which he claims acted in a partisan manner in favour of the incumbent.
He alleges that the army interfered with campaign activities, issued unlawful directives to voters, and created an atmosphere of fear that undermined free political participation.
The petition also raises allegations of widespread corruption, voter bribery, and improper inducement. Kasibante accuses the incumbent and his agents of distributing money and other material benefits to influence voters, particularly in major urban centres.
He further alleges that large sums of public money were channelled to various groups during the campaign period in violation of the Presidential Elections Act.
Kasibante also accuses the president of using abusive and derogatory language against rival candidates, conduct he says intimidated voters, distorted the level playing field, and discouraged open political competition.
The petition challenges the use of state resources during the campaign, alleging that government vehicles, public institutions, and security agencies were deployed to support the president’s re-election bid.
Kasibante claims that public officials facilitated mobilisation activities, transported supporters to rallies, and allowed exclusive use of public facilities by the incumbent, while denying similar access to opposition candidates.
He also alleges that state-owned media gave disproportionate and favourable coverage to President Museveni at the expense of his challengers.
Another key issue raised in the petition is the alleged failure by the Electoral Commission to properly gazette a significant number of polling stations ahead of the election.
Kasibante argues that voting at these stations was unlawful and that the results should not have been included in the final tally, as candidates and their agents were unable to adequately monitor the process.
The petitioner also questions the credibility of the voters’ register and the use of biometric voter verification machines, alleging that the technology was deployed without a clear legal framework, was unreliable, and lacked transparency.
He further claims that the processes of counting, tallying, and transmission of results were flawed and opaque.
Kasibante is asking the Supreme Court to nullify Museveni’s election, cancel the declared results, and order fresh elections conducted in strict compliance with the law.
He also seeks orders invalidating results from unlawfully established polling stations, directing a comprehensive audit of election materials, and awarding him the costs of the petition.
The petition, which runs into more than 1,700 pages, was filed under the Constitution and the Presidential Elections Act and is supported by documentary and photographic evidence. It was lodged by a team of lawyers drawn from several law firms.
Kasibante’s challenge adds to a long line of presidential election petitions in Uganda. Since 2001, every presidential election has been contested in court, including challenges filed by opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, former prime minister Amama Mbabazi, and, most recently, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu following the 2021 election.
In each case, the Supreme Court acknowledged electoral irregularities but upheld the declared results, citing the high legal threshold required to overturn a presidential election.
The Supreme Court is constitutionally required to hear and determine the petition within 30 days of filing. Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission says it has yet to be formally served with the petition.
On the other hand, the NRM Director for Legal Services Counsel Enoch Barata has told Our Reporter that they haven’t yet received the petition filed against their Party President. He maintains, however, that they are on standby with a team of 45 lawyers to defend Museveni’s victory, should he formally give them instructions to do so. He noted that for now, they haven’t yet received instructions from President Museveni. The court is expected to issue directions on the hearing of the matter in the coming days.
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