Opposition NUP party vows to defend Kawempe North by-election win
Kawempe North MP Elias Nalukoola, losing NRM candidate Faridah Nambi (C) and opposition NUP party lawyer George Musisi (R). PHOTO/COMBO
What you need to know:
- Faridah Nambi of Uganda's ruling NRM party is petitioning the court for a re-election and the prosecution of winning opposition candidate Elias Nalukoola and his team over alleged electoral offenses.
Uganda’s main opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), has said it is ready to defend its parliamentary victory in the recent Kawempe North by-election, after a legal challenge by the ruling party’s candidate.
Faridah Nambi, who ran on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, filed a petition on Friday seeking to nullify the victory of NUP’s Elias Nalukoola Luyimbazi.
She claims the poll was marred by irregularities, including voter bribery, campaigning on election day, and obstruction of election officials.
NUP lawyer George Musisi dismissed the petition as baseless.
“We believe the petition is frivolous, brought by a person without any genuine legal grievance but purely for accountability and cosmetic purposes,” Musisi told Monitor on Sunday.
He added: “But once they have properly served us as per the law, we are ready to defend the victory of Kawempe North – at their cost.”
In her petition, Nambi alleges that Nalukoola’s agents campaigned on Election Day using phrases such as “Ye nze Nalukoola,” or “I am Nalukoola,” which she says violated electoral laws.
She further accuses his team – including singer-politician Hillary Kiyaga (also known as Dr Hilderman), Mathias Walukagga and Julius Mutebi – of storming polling stations, directing election officials, and handling voter registers without authorization.
Nambi also faults the Electoral Commission for failing to return results from over 14 polling stations, affecting at least 16,640 registered voters.
“There was non-compliance with the Parliamentary Elections Act, and the failure affected the result of the election in a substantial manner,” the petition reads in part.
Through her lawyers at Crane Associated Advocates, Nambi wants the court to annul Nalukoola’s election, order fresh polls, and recommend prosecution of him and his agents for alleged electoral offenses.
She claims the number of disenfranchised voters exceeded Nalukoola’s winning margin of 8,881 votes. Nalukoola garnered 17,939 votes against Nambi’s 9,058.
The March 13 vote was heavily policed, with several opposition supporters and more than 15 journalists reportedly beaten or arrested by security forces.
