Politics 15 October 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Court Dismisses Petition Against Minister Ssekindi Amidst Election Irregularities
The High Court in Masaka has dismissed an election petition against State Minister for Water Aisha Ssekindi, citing insufficient proof that irregularities substantially affected the outcome despite acknowledging serious incidents of violence and bribery. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/court-dismisses-nrm-candidate-s-petition-against-minister-ssekindi-5633130
The High Court in Masaka has thrown out an election petition that sought to overturn the victory of Aisha Ssekindi, the State Minister for Water and Kalungu District Woman MP. The petition was filed by Hellen Nakeya, a rival candidate from the ruling NRM party, who alleged widespread violence, voter bribery, and other irregularities during the January 15 election.
Justice Bernard Namanya, in his judgment delivered on October 15, 2026, acknowledged that “serious incidents” did occur during the electoral period. These included the vandalization of Nakeya’s vehicle and the tragic killing of two of her supporters. The court also noted evidence of an assaulted polling agent, threats, intimidation, and the circulation of pre-marked dummy ballot papers.
However, the court found that Nakeya failed to provide sufficient evidence to directly link these incidents to Ssekindi or her agents, or to prove that they materially altered the election results. “The Court cannot infer a substantial effect from the seriousness of the incidents alone, nor overturn an election on conjecture, sympathy or the possibility that the petitioner’s campaign operations were impaired,” Justice Namanya stated.
Ssekindi, running as an independent, secured a significant victory with 25,773 votes against Nakeya’s 5,498. The judge emphasized that the substantial vote margin meant the proven irregularities would have needed to suppress or distort votes on an unprecedented scale to impact the outcome.
Despite dismissing the petition, the court criticized the Electoral Commission’s handling of the election’s volatile environment. Justice Namanya questioned whether polling should have been postponed given the documented violence. While each party was ordered to bear its own costs, the ruling underscored the disturbing nature of the electoral process in Kalungu District. Ssekindi expressed relief, while Nakeya indicated she is considering her next steps after reviewing the judgment.