UgandaToday: High Court Dismisses Bwowe’s Petition, Upholds Ssenyonyi and Other Nakawa Division West Nominations
Kampala, Uganda — January 8, 2026 — The High Court of Uganda has dismissed a high-profile pre-election petition filed by lawyer and parliamentary aspirant Ivan Bwowe, clearing the way for incumbent Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Joel Ssenyonyi and six other candidates to remain on the ballot for the Nakawa Division West parliamentary seat in the January 15, 2026 general elections.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Collins Acellam upheld the decision of the Electoral Commission (EC) that all contested nominations were valid, dismissing Bwowe’s argument that the other candidates had been nominated for a “non-existent” constituency called “Nakawa West” instead of the legally recognised Nakawa Division West.”
Bwowe, who is contesting the seat on the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) ticket, had sought to nullify the nominations of Ssenyonyi and six others — including Happy Nasasira, Herbert Anderson Burora, Felix Ephraim Okuye, Vincent Norbert Okumu, Wilberforce Kyambadde, and Apuuli Rwamiti — claiming that the wording on their nomination forms was fatally defective and entitled him to be declared elected unopposed.
Court Finds “Naming Error” Curable
In his judgment, Justice Acellam ruled that the omission of the word “Division” on some nomination forms was a minor clerical error (misnomer) that did not affect the legality of the nomination process and was properly cured by the Commission during harmonisation of campaign documentation. He noted that all aspirants — including Bwowe himself — signed a Control Form correctly identifying the constituency as Nakawa Division West, and submitted campaign programmes covering the same geographical area.
The judge stressed that elective democracy must be decided by voters, not technicalities, and that courts should not be used to bypass the ballot box. The petition was dismissed in its entirety and each party was ordered to bear its own legal costs.
Reactions and Wider Context
Joel Ssenyonyi welcomed the decision, calling it a vindication of democratic process. Supporters of NUP see the ruling as a relief following an upsurge in nomination disputes targeting key opposition figures ahead of the polls.
The case highlights recurring legal challenges in the run-up to the 2026 elections, with several aspirants turning to the courts over documentation and nomination procedures. Electoral experts have said that while the judiciary plays an important role in enforcing electoral law, technical objections must not disenfranchise voters or undermine the integrity of the electoral calendar.
With the constitutional race now set, all eight candidates — including Bwowe — remain on the ballot for the Nakawa Division West seat, setting the stage for a competitive contest in one of Kampala’s most watched constituencies.
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