Former Supreme Court Justice Esther Kitimbo Kisaakye has issued a detailed public challenge to the Uganda Electoral Commission (EC), questioning the legality, transparency, and verifiability of the recently announced 2026 presidential election results.
In a statement addressed to EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama and shared on X on January 27, 2026, Kisaakye argued that the Commission failed to meet clear constitutional requirements when declaring the outcome of the election.
She noted that while the EC orally announced the final results on January 17, the Constitution requires results to be ascertained, published, and formally declared in writing under the Commission’s seal.
Kisaakye said she reviewed the EC’s official website and the Uganda Gazette but found no published presidential results, more than 10 days after the announcement.
She linked this omission to Article 1 of the Constitution, which vests sovereignty in the people and obliges state institutions to exercise authority transparently and in the public interest.
The former judge raised eight specific questions, focusing on reported failures of biometric voter identification machines, allegations of ballot stuffing circulating online, and the rapid declaration of results in the absence of signed declaration of results forms from polling stations.
She also questioned how results were transmitted to the National Tallying Centre during a nationwide internet shutdown and whether an auditable trail exists to confirm their integrity.
Kisaakye further demanded clarity on whether polling-station-level results have been published, and if not, why the Commission has not complied with what she termed a mandatory constitutional obligation.
She also called for accountability over the reported expenditure of USD 69 million on biometric equipment that allegedly failed on election day.
Stating that she spoke as an ordinary citizen, Kisaakye emphasised that elections belong to the people, not administrators, and that the burden of proving compliance with the Constitution rests with the Electoral Commission.