Former National Peasants Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Robert Kasibante, has opened up about his decision to withdraw his petition challenging the 2021 presidential election results, citing logistical and financial constraints.
Speaking during NBS Eagle on Sunday, Kasibante explained the challenges he faced during his presidential bid and subsequent legal proceedings.
Kasibante emphasized that the case he filed in court was not directly against President Museveni personally, but rather concerned “irregularity, injustice, and ignoring laws governing presidential elections.”
Kasibante noted that he had amassed sufficient evidence to support his petition but ultimately withdrew from court proceedings because other opposition parties were unwilling to provide support.
Speaking during the same show, outgoing Mawokota South Member of Parliament, Yusuf Nsibambi, highlighted Kasibante’s financial and logistical challenges during the election period, mocking his decision to contest for the presidency hoping to rely on other opposition parties.
Parliamentary Caucus Spokesperson of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Alex Brandon Kintu commended Kasibante for his decision to withdraw the case and recognized his electoral support.
Kasibante had initially petitioned the Supreme Court o seeking to nullify Museveni’s victory electoral victory. According to the official tally, Museveni garnered 7,946,772 votes, representing 71.65 percent of the total valid votes cast
Finishing sixth in the election with 33,440 votes (0.30 percent), Kasibante alleged widespread electoral malpractices, including violence, misuse of state resources, irregularities in the voters’ register, and undue influence over the Electoral Commission (EC).
Kasibante lodged the petition under Article 104 of the Constitution and Section 61 of the Presidential Elections Act, challenging both the conduct of the election and the declaration of Museveni as the winner.
In a lengthy statement, Kasibante listed Museveni, the EC, and the Attorney General as respondents, asserting that the election was neither free nor fair and violated constitutional and statutory requirements.
A significant allegation in the petition involved the failure to gazette 15,256 polling stations before election day.
Kasibante claimed these stations—representing nearly 30 percent of the total—were nevertheless used for voting, counting, and tallying, denying candidates and their agents the opportunity to monitor the process effectively.
However, Kasibante explained that he could not continue with the petition because he lacked the financial capacity to cover the logistical costs required to conduct a forensic audit of election materials and processes, which he deemed essential to substantiate his claims.