The High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Lwemiyaga County Member of Parliament Theodore Ssekikubo challenging the nomination of Brig. Gen. Emmanuel Rwashande.
Last month, Ssekikubo dragged the Electoral Commission, Brig. Gen. Rwashande Emmanuel, and Aryaija Gracious to court, challenging Rwashande’s nomination on grounds that he failed to submit the requisite qualifications and did not comply with the requirement of at least 10 supporters’ names for nomination.
Brig. Gen. Rwashande Emmanuel was successfully nominated to contest for the position of Member of Parliament for Lwemiyaga Constituency, Sembabule District, in the general elections scheduled for January 15, 2026.
Following the nomination, Ssekikubo applied to the Electoral Commission for certified copies of the nomination forms and files relied upon by the Sembabule District Returning Officer, Aryaija Gracious, in nominating Rwashande.
On November 7, 2025, the Electoral Commission provided Ssekikubo with a complete certified copy of Rwashande’s nomination file.
After reviewing the documents, Ssekikubo contended that the nomination of the second respondent was irregular, illegal, and non-compliant with the Parliamentary Elections Act. He subsequently challenged the nomination by lodging a petition with the Electoral Commission on November 14, 2025.
The Electoral Commission conducted a hearing of the petition on November 18, 2025, and delivered its ruling on December 3, 2025, upholding Rwashande’s nomination.
In her ruling, Justice Joyce Kavuma struck out the application, stating that it lacked merit.
“Court rules that the petition filed by the applicant is hereby struck out. The instant application is totally without merit and is accordingly dismissed,” Justice Kavuma ruled.
She added that the court found no reason to delve into the remaining issues raised unless for academic purposes.
Justice Kavuma further noted that electoral litigation is a matter of great national importance and that courts must carefully consider the question of awarding costs so as not to unjustifiably deter aggrieved parties from seeking legal redress. Consequently, she ordered each party to bear its own costs.
