Court Dismisses Ssekikubo Appeal, Upholds Gen Rwashande nomination

The High Court has struck out an election appeal filed by Lwemiyaga Member of Parliament, Theodore Ssekikubo challenging the nomination of NRM candidate Gen. Emmanuel Rwashande.

Court says appeal was filed outside the legally prescribed time and could not be validated. Ssekikubo had asked court to validate and regularize his appeal against the Electoral Commission’s decision to uphold the nomination of Brig Gen. Rwashande Emmanuel as a candidate in the 2026 parliamentary elections.

The dispute arose from the nomination process for Lwemiyaga Constituency in Sembabule District ahead of the January 15th, 2026 general elections.

Ssekikubo challenged Rwashande’s nomination, alleging irregularities, including failure to submit the requisite academic qualifications and insufficient supporter signatures.

However, the Electoral Commission dismissed thus complaint on December 3rd, 2025. Dissatisfied, Ssekikubo filed an appeal in the High Court but did so outside the mandatory five-day period provided under the Parliamentary Elections (Interim Provisions) Rules. He later applied before court to validate the late appeal, arguing that he only became aware of the ruling days later after he had been frustrated by delays in communication.

In her decision, Justice Joyce Kavuma emphasized that election matters are governed by strict and mandatory timelines which courts have no power to extend unless expressly allowed by the law.

The judge has held that the Electoral Commission had duly served Ssekikubo’s lawyers with the ruling on December 3rd, 2025, meaning time began to run from that date thus faulting the him for failing to demonstrate vigilance expected of an intending appellant in an electoral dispute even when he lacks  documentary proof of follow-ups.

Court concluded that it lacked jurisdiction to validate or extend time for an appeal filed outside the statutory limit. Consequently, the appeal was struck out and the application dismissed.

The ruling comes when its only 9 days left to the General electionday of January 15th.