Lira court sets November 5th for Oyam South election petition judgment
Amolo is challenging Ogwang’s election over alleged discrepancies in her name and a blurred photograph on the ballot paper used in the January 15, 2026 election. The case is the only parliamentary election petition in the Lango sub-region out of 346 across the Country.
Amolo and Ogwang chat after the hearing at the Lira High Court. (Credit: Patrick Okino)
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Lira High Court has set November 5, 2026, for judgment in a parliamentary election petition filed by Queen Dorothy Amolo seeking to nullify the election of Oyam South MP Patrick Ogwang Obura.
Amolo is challenging Ogwang’s election over alleged discrepancies in her name and a blurred photograph on the ballot paper used in the January 15, 2026 election. The case is the only parliamentary election petition in the Lango sub-region out of 346 across the Country.
The hearing took only a single day and concluded with court seeking submissions and rejoinder from both parties.
The Judiciary assigned 100 judicial officers to handle 346 parliamentary and Local Council election petitions pending before 30 High Court circuits, the Civil Division and 26 Chief Magistrates’ Courts. The hearing kicked off on 14th September.
The participating judicial officers include 48 High Court judges, who will handle 157 petitions, and 52 Chief Magistrates, who will handle 189 petitions.
Amolo filed the petition against Ogwang, the first respondent, and Electoral Commission Returning Officer Joseph Omona, alleging that the name appearing on the ballot paper was different from the name she used during nomination. She also challenged the clarity of her photograph on the ballot paper.
According to evidence presented in court, Amolo said she was nominated as Queen Dorothy Amolo, but the ballot paper bore the name Queen Dorothy Alweny, which she said belonged to another person.
However, during cross-examination, Amolo acknowledged that she had used the name Queen Dorothy Alweny since childhood before changing it to Queen Dorothy Amolo in 2020 when she contested for the same parliamentary seat.
She said she was popularly known by the name Queen Dorothy Amolo among residents in Oyam.
“Queen Dorothy Alweny who appeared in the ballot paper is a different person. Mine is Queen Dorothy Amolo,” she told court, adding that she had raised the complaint with the Returning Officer. When asked whether she participated in voting, Amolo said she did not vote because the name appearing on the ballot paper belonged to another person.
Geoffrey Owili of the Uganda People’s Congress obtained 9,526 votes, while Amolo, who stood as an independent candidate, received 3,516 votes. Otto Ishaa of the National Unity Platform garnered 2,083 votes. Omona, the second respondent, denied being aware of the alleged complaints, maintaining that the election was free, fair and transparent and that no complaint had been raised.
He told court that although there was a discrepancy in the name, the photograph and symbol on the ballot paper were clear, enabling voters to identify the candidate.
Speaking to the media after the hearing, Ogwang expressed confidence that the petition would be dismissed, arguing that Amolo’s complaints were not supported by her presentation before court and were raised two days after the election results were declared.
“As leaders, we need to tell the truth to guide society, but failure to do that misleads people,” he said, adding that the same God who enabled voters to elect him would deliver a positive outcome. Ogwang said the election period was over and that leaders should now concentrate on delivering services to the people rather than engaging in political intrigue and bickering.
Amolo, who represented herself in court, said she chose to litigate the case herself to make a statement that ordinary citizens should not fear seeking justice through the courts. She said she was confident that she would win the case when judgment is delivered on November 5.
“That is when people will know that you walked into that courtroom, you relied on a lawyer, made a mistake and won,” she said. Justice Nanziri adjourned the case to November 5 to allow the parties adequate time to file their final submissions and rejoinders.