A court case now threatens the political plans of three women running for the Bukedea District Woman MP seat. Zipporah Akol filed the suit in Kampala’s High Court. She named Hellen Odeke Akol, Susan Norma Otai, and Marion Mercy Alupo as respondents. These Bukedea District Woman MP candidates want to challenge Speaker Anita Among.
Zipporah Akol says she is a registered voter in Tukum Parish, Bukedea. She argues the three women do not live in the parishes where they registered. Therefore, they should not appear on the ballot. She also sued the Electoral Commission (EC) for allowing their names to stay on the voter roll.
According to the petition, the EC displayed voter lists in May 2025. Local leaders then objected to Odeke’s registration in Malera Parish. They said she does not live there. A parish tribunal agreed and removed her name from the register. Similar actions reportedly happened for Otai in Kopeta and Alupo in Kotolut.
Zipporah Akol claims the EC has not restored their names. So, they cannot legally run for office. Nominations are coming soon, she notes. Yet the three women are already campaigning. She wants the court to stop them and order the EC to bar their nomination.
The accused women strongly deny the claims. Alupo says she has proof of her voter status. “I will be in court Monday with all my documents,” she stated. Odeke called the case a repeat of 2021 tactics. “They did this to me before,” she said. “It’s meant to frustrate my bid.” Otai asked the EC to explain why her name vanished.
The EC has not commented officially. Deputy spokesperson Paul Bukenya said he knew nothing about the case. However, internal party decisions add context. In June, the NRM declared Anita Among its sole candidate. The party disqualified Odeke after finding she only owned land in Malera—not a home.
Dr. Tanga Odoi, NRM’s electoral chair, confirmed this. “Residency matters,” he told reporters. “Buying land isn’t enough.”
Parliament’s communications head, Chris Obore, said locals support Among. “Bukedea benefits from having a Speaker,” he explained. “People don’t want challengers who can’t become Speaker themselves.” He added that the law allows anyone to run—but only if they truly live in the area.
Uganda’s Parliamentary Elections Act requires MP candidates to be citizens, registered voters, and hold at least an A-Level certificate. While it doesn’t mention residency outright, voter registration rules tie eligibility to parish-level residence.
This case now tests how strictly courts enforce those rules. If judges uphold the tribunal decisions, Among may run unopposed. If not, the race could reopen.
Either way, the dispute shows how technical rules can block women’s political paths. As Uganda heads toward 2026 elections, this lawsuit may shape how voter eligibility works—especially for Bukedea District Woman MP candidates and others like them.
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