Oyam South Election Petition Ruling Set for November 5

19 September 2026, 10:58 am

By Finellah Akullu Opio

The High Court in Lira will deliver its ruling on November 5, 2026, in the election petition filed by former independent candidate Queen Dorothy Amolo against Oyam North Member of Parliament Patrick Ogwang Obura and the Electoral Commission.

Presiding over the case, Masaka High Court Judge Fatuma Bwanika, currently hearing election petitions at Lira High Court conducted an all-day hearing that ran from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Justice Bwanika allowed lead defense counsel Joram Edonu, representing Ogwang Obura, alongside the Electoral Commission’s legal team, to cross-examine Amolo, who chose to represent herself without legal representation.

During cross-examination, Edonu questioned Amolo about the discrepancy in the names listed on the ballot paper, however, Amolo firmly testified that the name “Queen Dorothy Alweny,” which appeared on the ballot, does not represent her identity and belongs to an unknown person.

Amolo explained that while her legal name 30 years ago was Alweny Dorothy, she officially changed it in 2020 to Queen Dorothy Amolo via a deed poll.

She maintained that she registered and campaigned under her official name, making the Electoral Commission’s placement of “Alweny” on the ballot a fatal error that confused her electorate.

She further revealed that even her polling agents were unaware of the ballot name on election day and admitted that she herself refrained from voting because of the error.

At the conclusion of her cross-examination, Amolo requested permission from the court to file additional written submissions and present supplementary evidence to strengthen her case.

Granting her request, Justice Bwanika ordered Amolo to file her written submissions by September 25, 2026.

The defense teams for Ogwang Obura and the Electoral Commission have until October 2, 2026, to file their responses, hence the Judge will deliver her final judgment on November 5, 2026.

Speaking after the court session, MP Patrick Ogwang Obura expressed optimism, noting that his victory was divine and achieved fairly after two rounds of polling.

He criticized Amolo for failing to cast her own vote in the election, arguing that leaders must set a better example for voters.

In response, Queen Dorothy Amolo stated that representing herself in court demonstrates courage and sets an example for Ugandans to fearlessly pursue justice.

She voiced confidence that her evidence would convince the court to annul Ogwang Obura’s election and order fresh polling.

Oyam District Returning Officer, Joseph Omona, who declared the official results on January 15, 2026, showing Ogwang Obura (NRM) winning with 29,353 votes against Amolo’s 3,516 votes, stated that the Electoral Commission now awaits the court’s final determination.