The High Court will hear Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu’s defence on October 23 after petitioner Ismael Ssemakula closed his case challenging the Kalungu West MP’s election over alleged irregularities involving results documents from four polling stations.
The High Court has adjourned the election petition challenging Kalungu West Member of Parliament Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu’s victory to October 23, 2026, when the respondents are expected to begin presenting their defence.
The petition was filed by Ismael Ssemakula, who is challenging Ssewungu’s election over alleged electoral irregularities. Proceedings before Justice Joyce Kavuma reached a new stage after the petitioner’s legal team concluded presenting its evidence.
During the latest hearing, government document examiner SSP Erisa Ssebuwufu appeared as a witness to give evidence concerning election results documents from four polling stations at the centre of the dispute.
His testimony formed part of Ssemakula’s attempt to substantiate the allegations raised in the petition, which questions aspects of the documentation used in the election.
The proceedings also involved discussions about the questioning of the witness and the handling of expert evidence.
Ssebuwufu was presented before the court to provide evidence relating to election results documentation from the four disputed polling stations.
His appearance brought the accuracy and authenticity of the records under scrutiny as the petitioner sought to establish whether the alleged irregularities had any bearing on Ssewungu’s election.
However, the petitioner’s legal team indicated that it intended to question the witness on the evidence presented.
Ssewungu’s lawyer, Sam Muyizzi, addressed the court regarding the proposed questioning of the witness as the proceedings continued.
The specific nature of the alleged discrepancies at the four polling stations was not fully detailed in the available account of the hearing.
Meanwhile, Ambrose Tebyasa, the lawyer representing Ssemakula, explained the decision to remove an expert who had examined the election documents.
The development arose as the petitioner’s legal team moved towards concluding its case.
The decision concerning the expert formed part of the procedural issues surrounding the evidence presented in the petition. However, the precise reasons for the expert’s removal were not fully detailed in the account of the proceedings.
With Ssemakula’s legal team having closed its case, the proceedings will now move to the defence stage, giving Ssewungu and the other respondents an opportunity to respond to the allegations and present their evidence.
Ssemakula is challenging Ssewungu’s victory over alleged electoral malpractice, but the claims remain subject to judicial determination and have not been established as findings against the respondents.
Justice Kavuma adjourned the matter to October 23, 2026, when the respondents are expected to begin presenting their defence.
The court will determine the petition after considering the evidence and legal arguments presented by both sides.