The High Court in Kampala has scheduled a hearing on Friday, November 28, 2025, in a case filed by presidential aspirant Dennis Daniel Ssemugenyi, who accuses the Electoral Commission of unfairness and discrimination during the presidential nomination process.
The hearing date was communicated in a letter issued on Wednesday, November 26, by Justice Simon Kintu Zirintusa, the High Court Registrar. Both parties have been formally summoned to appear.
The letter noted: “Take notice that the hearing of this case has been fixed for the 28 November 2025 at 9:00 a.m. If no appearance is made on your behalf, the case will be heard in your absence.”
Ssemugenyi, an environmentalist and independent aspirant, was among the 30 presidential hopefuls who were not cleared by the Electoral Commission. Only eight candidates met all the requirements and were approved to contest the 2026 presidential election.
After being rejected on September 25, Ssemugenyi petitioned the Commission seeking an explanation. He accused the EC of discrimination and a lack of transparency, claiming many other hopefuls were also unfairly excluded.
“Uganda must not be a playground of impunity. We recognise that the EC has a heavy burden in this electoral season, but fairness delayed becomes fairness denied, justice postponed becomes democracy endangered, and if the institution we trust to protect fairness becomes an instrument of delay, then who will protect the nation?” he said.
He added that despite submitting his petition a day after nominations closed, the EC had remained silent for over two months, prompting him to take the matter to court. He said the Commission had neither acknowledged nor dismissed his concerns.
Responding to the accusations, EC spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi said the Commission is continuing to process complaints from both presidential and parliamentary aspirants.
“The EC listened to Ssemugenyi’s complaints; we shall respond to him in writing when the judgment is ready. We are currently registering the complaints from aggrieved parliamentary aspirants,” Mucunguzi said.
He added that the Commission remains committed to delivering decisions transparently and urgently as preparations for the printing of ballot papers for the 2026 elections proceed.
During the nomination period, the Electoral Commission received about 300 expression-of-interest forms from Ugandans seeking to run for president. Only 38 returned the mandatory signature forms, and just eight met the full legal requirements.
The candidates cleared to contest in 2026 are President Yoweri Museveni (NRM), Robert Kyagulanyi (NUP), Nathan Nandala Mafabi (FDC), Maj Gen (Rtd) Mugisha Muntu (ANT), Mubarak Munyagwa (Common Man’s Party), Frank Bulira Kabinga (RPP), Elton Joseph Mabirizi (Conservative Party), and Robert Kasibante (National Peasants Party).
Presidential campaigns began on September 29, and Uganda is scheduled to vote on January 15, 2026.
