Chief Justice tips judges on electoral disputes handling.

KAMPALA: The Chief Justice, Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, has urged High Court judges to treat electoral petitions with the seriousness of cases that affect the entire public, noting that election disputes go beyond individual candidates and touch the will of the electorate. His guidance comes barely a month to the January 15, 2026 general elections.

Speaking during a training on electoral dispute resolution held in Kampala on Thursday, the Chief Justice said election petitions are fundamentally different from ordinary civil matters such as land or domestic relations disputes.

He explained that while most cases involve private interests, electoral petitions involve the collective rights of voters.

Justice Owiny-Dollo said electoral disputes should therefore be handled with heightened alertness, comparing their impact to cases involving terrorism, because they affect public confidence, stability and democratic governance.

He emphasized that once an electoral offence is established and is sufficient to annul an election, the affected candidate cannot retain a parliamentary seat, even if the offence did not change the final outcome of the vote.

The Chief Justice reminded judges that their role in election disputes is to safeguard the interests of the people, not just the competing candidates.

He also noted that judicial officers who have never faced pressure or approaches in the course of handling cases should reflect on their effectiveness, stressing the need for integrity and vigilance.

The training, which organized by the Judicial Training Institute that is headed by Justice Dr. Andrew Khaukha has drawn judges from various divisions and circuits, who describe it as timely and crucial in ensuring the expeditious disposal of election-related disputes ahead of upcoming electoral processes.

Speaking at the start of the training on Thursday, the Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo, revealed that while 179 election petitions were filed during the 2021 electoral cycle, only two were pre-election matters.

However, as of today, at least 39 pre-election disputes have already been registered and must be concluded before ballot papers are printed.

“This trend signals a likely increase in petitions compared to the previous election cycle”, she noted.

The Principal Judge, added that some Judges may be recalled from festive leave to urgently handle these matters, citing strict legal timelines under the Parliamentary Elections Act, which prioritise election petitions over all other cases.

The training also features a live simulation court exercise to enhance practical skills, as well as contributions from the Electoral Commission to provide insight into election-related disputes.

Meanwhile, the Judiciary announced plans to introduce an annual Alternative Dispute Resolution performance review starting next year, focusing on mediation and plea bargaining, as part of efforts to reduce case backlog and improve access to justice.

The training is expected to better prepare Judges to deliver timely, fair, and impartial decisions as the country heads into the 2026 elections.