Uganda Judiciary Rushes to Meet Deadline for 2026 Poll Petitions

The Ugandan Judiciary is locked in an intense race against time to resolve a backlog of parliamentary and local council election petitions before a crucial legal deadline. Under the country’s election laws, courts are strictly required to hear and determine all electoral disputes within six months of their initial filing.

Reports indicate that roughly 127 election petitions remain pending determination in the High Court. This comes despite proactive measures taken by authorities in September, which included the deployment of 100 judicial officers nationwide specifically tasked with expediting the dispute resolution process.

As the final determination window closes, judges have been actively delivering rulings across various constituencies. Recent judgments have seen courts uphold several contested victories, including those in Bbaale County and Jinja, while various opposition petitions have faced dismissal or rejection over evidentiary standards.

Legal observers and political actors continue to monitor the proceedings closely as the Judiciary works to finalize all outstanding matters in compliance with statutory timelines.

For more details on this developing story, read the original report on the Daily Monitor.