BUKEDEA, Uganda — The Electoral Commission (EC) has backed the recommendations of local tribunals to block three women eying the Bukedea Woman MP seat currently occupied by Speaker of Parliament Ms. Annet Anita Among.
In an affidavit filed before the High Court in Kampala, the commission headed by Justice Simon Byabakama, through its Acting Secretary, Mr Richard Kamugisha Baabo, said it had reviewed complaints against Ms Norma Susan Otai of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Marion Alupo Mercy of National Unity Platform (NUP), and Hellen Akol Odeke (Independent) and verified that parish tribunals acted within the law when recommending their deletion from the EC’s register following a petition by one of the residents who claimed they were not registered voters of the area they sought to represent in the 12th Parliament.
The case was filed by one of Bukedea District residents, Zipporah Akol, who sought to block the nomination of the three women challenging Ms Among of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) headed by President Museveni, 81, who has been in power for four decades and seeking re-election in the 2026 polls.
Justice Douglas Kinobe, who was assigned to hear the case set October 27, 2025, when he will deliver his ruling.
Uganda’s electoral body said it rolled out its 2025/26 General Election roadmap earlier this year, including guidelines on updating and verifying the National Voters Register.
“The Commission rolled out its election roadmap to the country detailing all segments of the 2025/26 general elections processes through electronic and print media,” Mr Baabo stated.
Mr Baabo further stated that between January 20 and February 17, 2025, the Commission conducted a nationwide update exercise to allow voters to register, verify, or transfer their voting particulars.
“During this period, any person who wished to vote in a parish other than where they were previously registered could apply to transfer their registration,” the affidavit reads.
The updated register was later displayed for public scrutiny, with a 21-day window for objections from stakeholders.
“A period of 21 days was appointed in which copies of the voters roll for each parish were displayed to afford an opportunity to raise objections on the registration status of any voter,” the affidavit notes.
Following the display exercise, parish tribunals in Bukedea recommended deleting Otai, Alupo, and Odeke on grounds of origin and residence.
“The Commission, upon receiving returns from the Returning Officer of Bukedea, established that the parish tribunal recommended the deletion of the three respondents on account of origin and residence,” Mr Baabo said.
Tribunal forms show the objections were filed during the May 2025 display period and confirmed by parish council chairpersons.
“The EC invited the three aspirants to a review meeting on October 2, 2025. The Commission invited the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respondents to a meeting at its boardroom to attend review proceedings arising out of the decisions of the parish tribunals recommending their deletion,” Mr Baabo stated.
Adding….“The Commission heard all the parties during the review proceedings, and each was given an opportunity to challenge the recommendations of the parish tribunals. Hellen Odeke formally withdrew from the review, saying she did not wish to challenge the tribunal’s decision” the affidavit continues.
Mr Baabo states that after review, the EC concluded no contrary evidence had been presented and noted that the respondents were given 10 days of natural justice under the law to challenge the recommendations to the tribunal and therefore the right to a fair hearing was available but not utilized.
“Upon review, the Commission established that no evidence was lodged with the tribunals to challenge their decisions recommending deletion of the respondents. The Commission, therefore, upheld the decisions of the parish tribunals based on the evidence adduced by the parties,” he added.
Copies of the aspirants’ registration details attached to the affidavit confirm that their names have been removed from the rolls.
Akol’s petition argues that the Commission failed to implement the tribunal decisions and that the three aspirants were still allowed to campaign.
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In his post on X (Twitter ) NUP principal and presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi claimed that none of the affected women was invited for any tribunal hearing- which EC claims is the one which recommended their deletion from the Register.
“They only got to know about it, once Among, through a proxy took them to court. What more? Even after the case was filed in court, before it could be heard, the Electoral Commission sat last week and resolved to delete. We’re dealing with unprecedented impunity. I hope every citizen can see where we’re headed as a country unless we use one voice to put an end to this criminality; this nonsense!,” he posted on Monday.
The EC maintains it acted within its constitutional and statutory mandate.
“The Commission exercised its powers under Section 20 and 26 of the Electoral Commission Act to manage the voters register and address all complaints raised during the display exercise,” Baabo affirmed.
Justice Kinobe has directed all parties to complete submissions ahead of the October 27 ruling, which will determine whether the three women can proceed to nomination for the Bukedea District Woman MP seat.
