news 5 November 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)

Odonga Otto Loses Election Petition Against MP Komakech

The High Court has dismissed Samuel Odonga Otto's election petition challenging Christopher Komakech's victory in Aruu County, citing a lack of evidence and reliance on speculation. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/odonga-otto-loses-election-petition-against-komakech-5659898

The High Court sitting in Patongo Town, Agago District, has officially dismissed an election petition filed by former Aruu County parliamentary candidate Samuel Odonga Otto. The ruling upholds the victory of National Resistance Movement (NRM) legislator Christopher Komakech.

Mr Odonga Otto had challenged the outcome of the January 15, 2026 parliamentary election, naming Mr Komakech, the Electoral Commission, and Pader District Returning Officer Eric Gimei as respondents. According to the contested results, Mr Komakech was declared the winner after garnering 10,455 votes, narrowly defeating Mr Odonga Otto, who polled 10,429 votes, marking a tight margin of just 26 votes.

In delivering the judgment, the court threw out the petition after finding that it lacked sufficient evidence. The presiding judge noted that the claims brought forward relied heavily on speculation rather than concrete proof of electoral malpractices.

Legal analysts following the case noted that overturning such narrow margins requires robust and verifiable evidence of irregularities, which the petitioner failed to establish. With this ruling, Mr Komakech’s mandate to represent Aruu County in the parliament remains secure.