The High Court in Kitgum has dismissed an election petition challenging the election of Simon Peter Adum Oryema as Member of Parliament for Chua West Constituency, ruling that the petitioner failed to prove that the alleged electoral irregularities substantially affected the outcome of the January 2026 parliamentary elections.
In a judgment delivered online on November 10, 2026, Justice Amos Kwizera dismissed a petition filed by Allan Akena, who had challenged Adum’s election over alleged irregularities in the nomination process and electoral malpractices. The court also ordered Akena to pay the costs of the petition.
According to results declared by the Electoral Commission, Adum won the January 15, 2026 parliamentary election with 9,024 votes against Akena’s 7,602, securing a majority of 1,422 votes.
In his petition, Akena challenged Adum’s nomination, alleging that he had failed to obtain the mandatory ten supporting signatures from registered voters in Chua West Constituency.
He also accused the Electoral Commission of mishandling election materials, altering declaration of results forms, permitting multiple voting and ballot stuffing, as well as voter intimidation, bribery and illegal campaigning.
However, Justice Kwizera ruled that Akena was barred from challenging his opponent’s nomination after the election because he had failed to follow the legally prescribed procedures for inspecting nomination documents and lodging a complaint before polling day.
The judge noted that Akena admitted during cross-examination that he had not inspected Adum’s nomination documents before the election, despite being aware of the procedures available for challenging a candidate’s nomination.
The court further observed that Akena had not demonstrated that he was denied access to the nomination documents or that exceptional circumstances prevented him from raising the complaint before the election.
On the allegations concerning declaration of results forms from 47 polling stations, Justice Kwizera also dismissed claims that the documents had been completed by a single individual.
The judge said the forensic report presented by Akena’s handwriting expert, Dr Merit Kabugo, did not establish common authorship of the forms or prove that presiding officers had unlawfully delegated their responsibilities.
The ruling leaves Adum’s election as Chua West Constituency Member of Parliament undisturbed, following the court’s dismissal of the petition and its allegations of electoral irregularities.
By Edith Namwanje
11th Nov 2026
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