Politics 28 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
High Court Allows Election Petition Against MP Mulyanyama to Proceed, Rejects Academic Qualification Challenge
The High Court has rejected a preliminary objection regarding Makindye East MP Kasirye Nganda Ali's academic qualifications, allowing the election petition filed by Judith Abaho Nuwabeine to proceed to a full hearing. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/high-court-rejects-dispute-over-mp-mulyanyama-s-academic-papers-orders-election-petition-to-proceed-5612770
The High Court has ruled that an election petition challenging the victory of Makindye Division East Member of Parliament, Kasirye Nganda Ali, popularly known as Mulyanyama, can move forward. The court declined to revisit the issue of Mr. Mulyanyama’s academic qualifications, citing that the matter had already been addressed by the Electoral Commission.
Justice Andrew Kaukha stated that the court would not re-examine the nomination credentials. However, the main election petition, which alleges non-compliance with electoral laws, has been permitted to proceed. This petition will be heard in full on October 19 and 20, focusing on whether alleged irregularities substantially impacted the election’s outcome.
Despite this setback in the preliminary objection, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Judith Abaho Nuwabeine, represented by her lawyer Fox Odoi, expressed dissatisfaction. They intend to challenge the High Court’s decision at the Court of Appeal, arguing that the Electoral Commission never properly determined the complaint about Mr. Mulyanyama’s academic credentials.
Mr. Odoi stated that his client’s complaint to the Electoral Commission regarding Mr. Mulyanyama’s nomination and academic documents remained unheard. He emphasized that a candidate’s academic qualifications are a constitutional matter, not a mere technicality, requiring at least a Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) or its equivalent.
Ms. Nuwabeine voiced her frustration with unresolved grievances before the electoral body, asserting that the legal fight is for her constituents. She plans to seek leave from the Court of Appeal to pursue the challenge against the ruling on the preliminary objection, aiming for justice for the people of Makindye East.
The dispute originates from the January 15, 2026 parliamentary election, where Mr. Mulyanyama was declared the winner. Ms. Nuwabeine’s petition alleges voter suppression, result manipulation, and discrepancies in official documents. While the court dismissed the challenge to academic qualifications, it affirmed that the remaining allegations of mathematical errors and procedural illegalities warrant a full trial.