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Supreme Court to Rule on Kasibante’s Bid to Withdraw Presidential Election Petition

Supreme Court to Rule on Kasibante’s Bid to Withdraw Presidential Election Petition

The Supreme Court of Uganda is set to deliver its long-awaited ruling tomorrow, Thursday, on an application by former presidential candidate Robert Kasibante seeking to withdraw his presidential election petition.

A ruling notice issued under the hand and seal of the Registrar on February 23, 2026, summons the respondents and their lawyers to appear before the Court.

It cautions that should they, their pleaders, or authorised representatives fail to attend, the ruling may be delivered in their absence.

The matter is registered as Presidential Election Petition Miscellaneous Application No. 03 of 2026, arising from Presidential Election Petition No. 01 of 2026.

Kasibante is the petitioner, while the respondents are President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the Electoral Commission, and the Attorney General of Uganda.

The notice is also addressed to their legal representatives, including the Attorney General’s Chambers, Mwesigwa Rukutana & Co. Advocates, K & K Advocates, M/s Strand Advocates, and Isabirye & Co. Advocates.

The summons marks the final procedural step before the Court determines whether to permit the withdrawal and, if so, under what terms.

Kasibante initially filed the petition challenging the outcome of the January 2026 presidential election.

He subsequently sought access to backend electoral data held by the Electoral Commission to facilitate what he described as a nationwide forensic audit.

However, on February 5, 2026, he applied to withdraw both the substantive petition and the related discovery application.

The move followed a closed-door meeting between a panel of nine Supreme Court justices and lawyers representing all parties, chaired by Chief Justice Flavian Zeija.

The meeting replaced what had been scheduled as an open court session for the delivery of a ruling on Kasibante’s discovery application.

Counsel had assembled in court fully robed when the Registrar directed them to appear before the justices in chambers.

After approximately 45 minutes, the lawyers emerged and departed without any open court proceedings taking place.

The Court later directed the respondents to formally respond to the withdrawal request.

The impending ruling is expected to clarify the legal and procedural consequences of Kasibante’s bid to discontinue the high-profile election challenge.

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