The High Court sitting at Entebbe has formally abated an election petition challenging the 2026 Busiro County South parliamentary election, six days after the death of former Member of Parliament and sole petitioner, Charles Matovu.
Matovu died on Thursday, October 22, 2026, at Mulago National Referral Hospital following a sudden illness.
He was the sole petitioner in Election Petition No. 001 of 2026, in which he challenged the election of Kenan Opio as the directly elected Member of Parliament for Busiro County South Constituency in Wakiso District.
The petition had been filed against Opio and the Electoral Commission.
In a notice dated October 28, 2026, the Assistant Registrar of the High Court at Entebbe, Rashida Butanula, formally announced that the petition had abated following Matovu’s death.
“Notice of abatement of Election Petition No. 0001 of 2026 for the directly elected Member of Parliament for Busiro County South Constituency in Wakiso District is given following the death of Matovu Charles, the sole Petitioner, which occurred on 22nd Day of October 2026,” Butanula stated.
The notice was issued under Section 86 of the Parliamentary Elections Act and Rule 20 of the Parliamentary Elections (Interim Provisions) Election Petitions Rules.
Matovu, a former Busiro South MP, had challenged the outcome of the 2026 parliamentary election, in which Opio was declared the winner.
His death brought the legal challenge to an end because he was the sole petitioner in the case. Consequently, the petition will not proceed further before the High Court.
The court’s notice, issued six days after Matovu’s death, formally confirmed the closure of the election petition, which was still pending at the time of his death.
Matovu’s death was reported on October 22 after he developed a sudden illness and was admitted to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he later died.
The former legislator had represented Busiro South in Parliament before seeking re-election in the 2026 polls.
His death means the legal challenge to Opio’s election will not proceed further in the High Court.
