Uganda’s leading opposition party, the National Unity Platform (NUP), has announced its readiness to defend its recent Kawempe North by-election win, following a legal petition filed by the ruling party’s candidate.
Faridah Nambi, who contested under the National Resistance Movement (NRM), filed a case on Friday seeking to annul the victory of NUP’s Elias Nalukoola Luyimbazi, citing electoral malpractices such as voter bribery, illegal campaigning on polling day, and interference with election officials.
NUP’s legal representative, George Musisi, dismissed the petition, describing it as groundless and politically motivated.
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“This is a baseless petition filed by someone with no real legal complaint — just for appearances and accountability,” Musisi told Monitor on Sunday. “But once we are formally served, we’re ready to defend Kawempe North’s victory — at their expense.”
In her petition, Nambi alleges that Nalukoola’s campaign agents violated electoral laws by canvassing for votes on election day using slogans like “Ye nze Nalukoola” (“I am Nalukoola”).
She also accuses high-profile figures in Nalukoola’s campaign — including artist-turned-politician Hillary Kiyaga (aka Dr. Hilderman), singer Mathias Walukagga, and Julius Mutebi — of storming polling centers, giving instructions to electoral officials, and accessing voter registers without clearance.
Additionally, Nambi blames the Electoral Commission for failing to tally results from 14 polling stations, affecting approximately 16,640 registered voters — a number she says is significant given Nalukoola’s winning margin of 8,881 votes.
“There was non-compliance with the Parliamentary Elections Act, and this failure significantly influenced the outcome,” the petition reads.
Represented by Crane Associated Advocates, Nambi is seeking a court order to nullify Nalukoola’s election, call for a fresh by-election, and pursue criminal charges against him and his team for the alleged violations.
The by-election, held on March 13, was marked by heavy security deployment, with reports of opposition supporters and over 15 journalists being assaulted or detained by security forces.
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