KAMPALA, Uganda (UGNEWSLINE)- The High Court in Kampala has struck out 97 affidavits filed by David Lewis Rubongoya in his election petition against Kampala Central MP Minsa Kabanda.
Justice Flavia Nabakooza ruled that the affidavits were filed after the election petition without the court’s permission. She ordered that they be removed from the court record.
Rubongoya filed the petition on March 30, 2026, challenging the January 15 election in which the Electoral Commission declared Kabanda the winner.
Kabanda received 22,280 votes, while Rubongoya got 18,211 votes. Rubongoya claims that more than 1,335 votes were wrongly added to Kabanda’s total in areas including Nakivubo, Mengo, Kisenyi, Kamwokya II, Old Kampala and Kololo III.
The petition also questions Kabanda’s nomination, academic qualifications and differences in her names.
Kabanda and the Electoral Commission had asked the court to dismiss some of these complaints, arguing that they should have been raised before the election.
However, Justice Nabakooza ruled that the complaints about Kabanda’s nomination, academic qualifications and names could remain in the case.
The judge said Rubongoya had requested Kabanda’s nomination and academic documents before the election but only received them on February 26, more than a month after the election. She therefore found that it was not practical for him to raise those complaints before polling day.
The court, however, dismissed Rubongoya’s complaint about 23 polling stations in Nakasero II and Kololo II.
Rubongoya had claimed that the polling stations were in restricted security areas where military personnel made it difficult for voters and candidates’ agents to participate freely.
Justice Nabakooza ruled that the location of polling stations was a matter that should have been challenged before the election through the Electoral Commission.
The judge also ruled against Rubongoya’s attempt to introduce the 97 additional affidavits. She said they were supplementary affidavits and required the court’s permission before they could be filed.
The affidavits were filed in June and August, several months after the petition was filed.
The court has now closed the pleadings and directed that the case proceed using the documents that remain on the court record.
The case will next go to a scheduling conference before the main hearing.
The ruling does not decide whether Kabanda was validly elected. The remaining complaints will be heard during the main election petition.
