President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has lined up six witnesses to defend his January 15, 2026, presidential election victory, which is being challenged before the Supreme Court. The petition was filed by former National Peasants Party presidential candidate Robert Kasibante, who is seeking the nullification of Museveni’s victory because the election was marred by widespread irregularities and non-compliance with electoral laws, which he says substantially affected the outcome.
Among President Museveni’s witnesses are senior officials of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and polling agents from various polling stations. These include the 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. The President has also reserved the right to present additional witnesses identified upon perusal of affidavits filed in support of the petition.
The list of witnesses is contained in documents filed in court by Museveni’s lawyers, led by Ebert Byenkya and his son-in-law Edwin Karugire, and assisted by Usaama Sebuufu, Anthony Bazira, and John Musiime, the Chairperson of the NRM Election Disputes Tribunal. The Electoral Commission (EC), the second respondent, has lined up twelve witnesses to defend the conduct of the election. These include the EC Chairperson, Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon; the Secretary to the Commission, Richard Baabo Kamugisha; the Director of Technical Support Services, Solomon Muhumuza; and the Head of Voter Data Management, Ahmed Ochama.
Other witnesses include the Returning Officer for Wakiso District and presiding officers from Wandegeya Muslim Primary School polling station, Ishongororo Market A polling station, Mbogo Primary School playground polling station in OJE–SSEMU, Kawempe Church of Uganda Primary School playground polling station in Katon–Kyak, Nabweru Zimbena polling station, Lubowa Car Parking polling station, and Mabombwe Primary School polling station coded A-NAKAL. The Commission has similarly reserved the right to call additional witnesses upon review of affidavits filed in support of the petition.
The third respondent, the Attorney General, has lined up two witnesses to support the government’s position. These are the Deputy Attorney General, Jackson Kafuuzi Karugaba, and the Director of Operations of the Uganda Police Force, Assistant Inspector General of Police Frank Mwesigwa. The hearing of the presidential election petition is currently underway before a panel of nine Supreme Court justices led by the Chief Justice, Dr. Flavian Zeija. Other justices on the panel are Percy Night Tuhaise, Mike Chibita, Elizabeth Musoke, Stephen Musota, Christopher Madrama, Catherine Bamugemereire, Monica Mugenyi, and Muzamiru Mutangula Kibedi.
Before the hearing proceeded to the substantive petition, lawyers representing Kasibante informed the court that they had fully complied with earlier directions requiring the filing of submissions, responses, and rejoinders to the application for recovery of documents from the Electoral Commission. Lead counsel John Isabirye told the court that submissions in support of the application were filed within the prescribed timelines, served on all respondents, and that rejoinders were filed after receiving three sets of submissions from the respondents.
He asked the court to adopt the petitioner’s submissions and rejoinders as the final submissions. Isabirye further reminded the court that, as earlier directed by the Chief Justice, parties met and filed a joint scheduling memorandum on January 29, 2026. The memorandum outlines agreed facts, proposed issues for determination, agreed documentary evidence, and the list of witnesses for each party. He noted that the petitioner intends to call eight witnesses, while President Museveni has listed six and the Electoral Commission twelve, subject to leave of court to call additional witnesses.
The petitioner contends that the election was conducted in breach of electoral laws, particularly regarding the gazettement of polling stations. Another lawyer for Kasibante, Ivan Bwowe, together with Dr. Julius Galisonga, argued that while about 38,000 polling stations were gazetted and displayed on April 25, 2025, the Electoral Commission allegedly created and displayed an additional 15,000 polling stations on April 21, 2025, without gazettement as required by law.
They maintained that once the court compels disclosure of relevant documents, the petitioner would be able to compare the lists and demonstrate the alleged irregularities. Justice Catherine Bamugemereire challenged the petitioner’s lawyers to cite at least one known polling station where voting took place without gazettement. The lawyers conceded that they were unable to identify a specific station at this stage, explaining that the Electoral Commission had not provided them with the necessary documentation.
Responding on behalf of the Electoral Commission, former Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana dismissed the allegations as general and unsupported, insisting that all polling stations used in the election were duly gazetted. He told the court that the Commission had already filed the Gazette containing the list of polling stations and denied the existence of any ungazetted polling stations. The petitioner also alleged irregularities in the tallying, counting, and transmission of results, claiming that votes tallied at polling stations differed from those transmitted to higher tally centres.
However, the government, through the Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, argued that the allegations were overly broad and failed to identify any specific district, tally centre, or result affected.Kasibante further accused the Electoral Commission of failing to comply with the law governing the use of Biometric Voter Verification (BVV) machines. In response, Rukutana said the Commission would rely on its Director of Technical Support Services, Solomon Muhumuza, to explain how the electronic systems, including BVV machines, were deployed and used during the election.
The petitioner additionally alleged the commission of electoral offences, including voter bribery, use of abusive and insulting language, and partisan involvement of the army. Kiwanuka objected to classifying partisan involvement of the army as an electoral offence, arguing that such an offence can only be committed by a candidate. The court advised that the issue be addressed under allegations of non-compliance rather than as an electoral offence. Members of the bench, including Justices Monica Mugenyi and Catherine Bamugemereire, urged parties to be more specific in identifying alleged acts of non-compliance and irregularities to aid the court in evaluating the evidence and preparing its judgment.
The court also directed all parties to clearly indicate which witnesses would tender the agreed documentary evidence during the hearing. Hearing is ongoing, with judges continuing to question Kasibante’s lawyers for clarification. Museveni was declared the winner of the election with 7,946,772 votes, ahead of Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, who garnered 2,741,238 votes. Other candidates included Nathan Nandala Mafabi with 209,039 votes, Gen. Gregory Mugisha Muntu with 59,276 votes, Frank Bulira with 45,959 votes, Mubarak Munyagwa with 31,666 votes, and Kasibante with 33,440 votes.
Kasibante is asking the Supreme Court to nullify Museveni’s election, cancel the declared results, and order fresh elections in accordance with the law. He also seeks the invalidation of results from polling stations he claims were illegally established, a full audit of election materials, and an award of costs.
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