By Mulengera Reporters
In her 19th December circular to all Judicial officers, the Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo has directed all High Court Circuits to quickly pass on all anti-EC petitions, which the aggrieved denominated candidates keep filing challenging the Electoral Commission’s tribunal’s administrative decisions.
The EC is continuing to be petitioned & to churn out administrative tribunal decisions either affirming or cancelling nomination of candidates especially those standing for MP positions.
The latest and most conspicuous victim of such administrative tribunal decision-making is the outgoing Kyengera town council mayor Mathias Walukagga who the NUP party had fronted for the position of Busiro East MP Seat.
He was denominated by the EC, upon being petitioned by an aggrieved voter, on condition that he lacked the valid minimum academic qualification namely the S6/UACE certificate or its equivalent at the time of his nomination in September.
Walukagga put together what he thought was a strong team of lawyers to challenge the decision at the Civil Division of the High Court in Kampala where Justice Simon Peter Kinobe, previously a cadre of the National Resistance Movement, in his Sunday 21st December judgment upheld the EC tribunal decision.
In her circular, Abodo directs that every judicial officer (Judge or circuit Registrar) who gets such petitions challenging the EC tribunal decision, filed in their Court, should immediately pass it on to Kinobe’s Court in Kampala.
The Uganda High Court has circuits upcountry which would be convenient and cheaper for the aggrieved in the respective regions as opposed to having to come to crowd Kinobe’s Court in Kampala.
Justice Abodo justifies her directive on grounds that it will help to maintain harmony, consistency, timely resolution and uniformity in handling and processing such petitions challenging decision-making by the EC tribunal.
The Registrar, Kinobe and other Judges based at the Twed-Building based Civil Division of the High Court have been given up to 9th January as the final last day by which all such petitions must have been concluded ahead of the voting day 9th January 2026.
Besides that of Walukagga, Kinobe is also handling Nakawa Division West petition that was filed by ex-Makerere guild president Ivan Bwowe challenging the nomination and candidature of LoP Joel Ssenyonyi Besekezi and other Candidates vying for the same Seat. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
