The Judicial Training Institute has begun formal preparations to train judicial officers who are expected to preside over any petitions arising from the 2026 elections.
The move follows ongoing specialised training for High Court and lower-court judges in handling complex cases involving firearms, ballistic evidence and forensic science, as the judiciary positions itself for what is expected to be a legally demanding election period.
Justice Prof Andrew Khaukha, the executive director of the Judicial Training Institute, said the initiative is meant to strengthen judicial readiness as political campaigns intensify across the country.
“All judges will undergo comprehensive training,” Khaukha said. “Today’s session focused on judicial officers including magistrates, who were guided on handling cases involving forensic scientific evidence and the misuse of firearms.”
Justice Khaukha said training for Supreme Court judges will commence in December.
During the day’s training, the Police’s Head of Ballistics, Derrick Nasawali, revealed that more than 80,000 firearms are currently registered in Uganda, though some private security guards continue to operate with unregistered weapons.
“The presence of a few unregistered guns should not alarm the public,” he said, noting that compliance monitoring is ongoing.
Police instructors also highlighted persistent challenges in handling poisoning cases. Police Toxicologist Dr Jaffar Kisitu said delays in collecting samples undermine investigations.
“Late sampling interferes with the accuracy of toxicology analysis,” he noted.
“This makes it difficult to determine the severity of the poison involved when the victim has started treatment.”
Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo welcomed the collaboration between the judiciary and security agencies, promising deeper engagement.
“We shall increase engagements between the judiciary and security forces,” Abodo said. “This will help reduce the number of cases that are repeatedly adjourned.”
Judicial officers who attended the training were drawn from High and Lower Courts in districts including Mukono, Jinja, Tooro, Gulu and Iganga.
Police officers who facilitated the sessions were applauded for their contribution as the judiciary steps up preparations for the 2026 election petition season.
