Lawyers under their professional association, the Uganda Law Society (ULS), have demanded the resignation and prosecution of the Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson, Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, accusing him of presiding over elections characterised by violence, heavy militarisation, and massive financial loss to the country.
This was during the launch of the 2026 polls election observation report, where they argued that elections conducted under his leadership have consistently fallen short of constitutional standards, in violation of Articles 1 and 59 of the Constitution, which vest sovereignty in the people and guarantee citizens the right to vote.
The ULS leaders cited irregularities in voter verification, interference by security agencies, and administrative decisions that they say undermined the credibility of the electoral process.
The lawyers also criticised the EC’s handling of candidate nominations, particularly instances where candidates were de-nominated close to polling day.
Presenting the paper, George Musisi, a lawyer and MP-elect for Kiira Municipality, said the ULS was also challenging the EC’s powers to de-nominate candidates in electoral disputes, particularly de-nominations close to polling day.
ULS further called for investigations and prosecution of Justice Byabakama over the procurement and deployment of the Biometric Voter Verification Kits (BVVKs), which reportedly malfunctioned at several polling stations despite costing taxpayers more than Shs150 billion.
The kits were procured for use at over 50,700 polling stations countrywide. However, during the January 15 elections, voters in some areas reported delays, manual verification, and, in extreme cases, an inability to vote due to equipment failure.
ULS vice president Anthony Asiimwe said the State has increasingly relied on national security to justify restrictions on fundamental rights.
When contacted, Julius Mucunguzi, the EC spokesperson, said if the ULS has an issue arising from the electoral process or from the concluded elections, they should follow the legal procedures.