Ruling NRM party rejects Kawempe North by-election defeat, vows court challenge
NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong Awany. PHOTO/HANDOUT
What you need to know:
- Ruling NRM party says it has instructed its lawyers to immediately challenge the election results in court.
- If the party proceeds with its legal challenge, it could prolong Uganda’s latest electoral dispute, coming at a critical time with barely 12 months to next year’s general elections
Uganda’s ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, led by President Museveni, has rejected the results of the Kawempe North by-election, alleging widespread electoral malpractice and violence.
The election, held Thursday in Kampala, saw opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Elias Luyimbaazi Nalukoola declared winner with 17,764 votes, defeating NRM’s Faridah Nambi (8,593 votes), along with eight other candidates.
However, the vote was overshadowed by chaos, with security forces clashing with opposition supporters, and state agents reportedly targeting more than a dozen journalists.
Counsel Elias Luyimbaazi Nalukoola atop the car as he headed to NUP Party headquarters at Makerere Kavule to submit his academic credentials so as to express interest to contest on the party ticket for Kawempe North yesterday, 3rd February 2025. PHOTO | MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
The Electoral Commission annulled results from over 20 polling stations due to violent disruptions.
ALSO READ: How security planned attacks on journalists
On Saturday, NRM Secretary-General Richard Todwong announced that the party would not accept the results, arguing that the election was neither free nor fair.
“The 4th CEC of the NRM discussed the results in Entebbe on Friday. Mindful of the danger that the country might face if these kinds of undemocratic behaviors are not checked… noting that acts of violence in several polling stations in Kawempe North were carried out by supporters and sympathizers of NUP, NRM totally rejects the results declared by the Electoral Commission,” Todwong said.
National Resistance Movement (NRM) party leader, President Museveni (R), poses for a photo with its flagbearer in the Kawempe North by-election, Faridah Nambi, during the final campaign day in Kampala on March 11, 2025. PHOTO/HANDOUT
NRM argues that the cancellation of results from the 15 polling stations disenfranchised nearly 50,000 registered voters.
“The cancelled polling stations represent more than 62% of the expected votes to be cast. This implies that the Independent Electoral Commission pronounced a winning candidate based on less than 40% of the expected votes, significantly affecting the will of the people of Kawempe North,” NRM insisted in a statement.
Election violence and legal challenge
The by-election was marred by violence, with security forces cracking down on opposition mobilization.
An armoured vehicle patrols Kawempe Mbogo Polling Station during the Kawempe North by-elections in Kampala City on March 13, 2025. PHOTO | GEOFREYMUTUMBA
Observers reported that several journalists covering the election were harassed, while opposition polling agents were beaten and arrested.
The Electoral Commission defended the final tally but acknowledged that voting had been disrupted in some areas.
But Todwong said the NRM had instructed its lawyers to challenge the election results in court.
“NRM CEC calls upon the government to carry out a forensic audit to bring all the culprits who messed up the election to book. The party instructs its lawyers to immediately challenge the election and file a petition in court,” he said.
Security officers beat up NUP supporters during campaigns for the Kawempe North by-election at Kawempe Muslim Primary School on March 3, 2025. PHOTO/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
The NRM further accused the opposition of voter suppression, intimidation, and orchestrating election violence.
Opposition leader reacts
Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known as Bobi Wine, dismissed the NRM’s claims, insisting that despite government interference, the ruling party still lost.
“Just heard on the news that President Museveni is saying he was rigged in Kawempe North! The same shameless despot who abducted our agents and supporters, beat up our people, spent days bribing voters, deployed Mambas inside polling stations, commandeered goons to raid polling stations, changed several DR Forms to give himself 700, 400, 300 extra votes, etc.—AND WE STILL BEAT HIM,” Bobi Wine said in a statement.
Opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine and President Museveni. PHOTO/COMBO/FILE
Bobi Wine accused government of spending heavily to win over urban voters but failing to sway them.
“Museveni thought he had won over some support in Kampala after sending Ddamulira into the ghettos with billions of shillings (most of which is stolen anyway), sponsoring propaganda against us, buying off several artistes and other socialites and using them to fight us, investing in some failed politicians to abuse us on the media every day, constantly keeping his boot on our neck with abductions, arrests, and beatings, etc. He is very surprised that despite spending billions on all these and other efforts, the people of Uganda have continued to reject him flat,” he said.
"Anyway, it is this same Museveni who recently, shamelessly claimed that we rigged 1 million votes in the last election after he robbed our victory in broad daylight. I wrote to him challenging him to an independent audit of that election. He has never responded!"
What next?
If the NRM proceeds with its legal challenge, it could prolong Uganda’s latest electoral dispute, coming at a critical time with barely 12 months to next year’s general elections, which include parliamentary polls.
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