Kasibante withdraws petition challenging Museveni’s election win
Robert kasibante in court
By skika reporter
Former presidential candidate Robert Kasibante has applied to the Supreme Court to withdraw his petition challenging President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s victory in the January 15, 2026 presidential election.
Kasibante, who ran on the National Peasants Party (NPP) ticket, filed a Notice of Motion seeking leave of court to withdraw both the main presidential election petition and a related application in which he had asked for a comprehensive audit of election materials, including election returns, biometric voter verification (BVV) records, scanners, and servers.
In his supporting affidavit, Kasibante says the decision is largely informed by the immense financial and technical demands associated with conducting the proposed audit.
“The application for discovery would involve the processing of a vast quantity of data,” he states, adding that the estimated cost of executing the audit and analyzing the required information is “exponentially high and prohibitive.” He notes that undertaking such an exercise would require engaging highly specialized and independent forensic experts to collect and analyze nationwide electoral data, a burden he says is beyond his means.
The application is brought under Section 63 of the Presidential Elections Act, Rule 20 of the Presidential Election (Election Petitions) Rules, and the inherent powers of court. Kasibante further prays that each party bears its own costs.
The withdrawal bid comes days after a nine-justice panel of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, framed four key issues for determination in the petition and adopted submissions from all parties.
At that sitting, Kasibante was represented by lawyers led by Dr. Julius Galisonga, alongside John Isabirye and Ivan Bwowe. President Museveni was represented by Ebert Byenkya and Edwin Karugire, while the Electoral Commission (EC) was represented by Mwesigwa Rukutana, Eric Sabiiti, and Ayebazibwe Edgar. Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka also appeared with the Solicitor General’s team.
Court had earlier been informed that Kasibante intended to call eight witnesses, President Museveni six, and the EC twelve, including EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi and Secretary Richard Baabo Kamugisha.
Kasibante’s petition was largely based on allegations of non-compliance with electoral laws, including claims of ungazetted polling stations, irregularities in tallying and transmission of results, and issues surrounding the use of BVV machines. His lawyers had argued that an audit of election materials was necessary to verify these claims.
However, the petitioner’s legal team conceded during submissions that they faced difficulties in identifying specific polling stations or irregularities without access to the EC’s internal records. President Museveni’s lawyers dismissed the allegations as broad and non-specific, while the EC denied operating any ungazetted polling stations.
The Supreme Court is yet to set a date to hear Kasibante’s application. If granted, the withdrawal would bring to an end the legal challenge to Museveni’s re-election. Under the law, a presidential election petition may only be withdrawn with leave of court.
