Kampala, Uganda: The High Court in Kampala has nullified the election of Hon. Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola as Member of Parliament for Kawempe Division North and ordered the Electoral Commission to conduct fresh polls.
The ruling, delivered by Justice Bernard Namanya, faulted the Electoral Commission for failing to comply with the Parliamentary Elections Act during the March 13 2025 by-election, concluding that the irregularities substantially affected the outcome.
“Therefore, in accordance with Section 80, 82 (4)(c) and 82 (6)(c) of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Cap. 177), I order as follows: That the election of Luyimbaazi Elias Nalukoola as a Directly Elected Member of Parliament for Kawempe Division North constituency in Kampala District is set aside,” Justice Namanya ruled, declaring the seat vacant and asked the EC to organize a fresh election.
The Judge explained that 16,640 voters in the constituency, including Ms Nambi Faridah Kigongo, who contested on the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, were denied the right to vote (disenfranchised), which affected the result of the election in a substantial manner.
Namanya emphasized that there was evidence that Mr Nalukoola personally campaigned on election day at Mbogo Primary School Playground (KAT –MAJ) and Kazo Angola (KAL – KZ) at LCI Office polling stations, which is an offence under Section 100 (1) (a) and (b) and Section 100 (2) (a) and (3) of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Cap. 177), hence annuling the victory.
Case Background
The disputed by-election in Kawempe North was held in March 2025 after the earlier nullification of the 2021 victory of Muhammad Ssegirinya. It was a tense and heavily policed electoral contest in which opposition party National Unity Platform (NUP) rallied behind Nalukoola.
NUP leaders and supporters accused state security agencies of harassment, voter intimidation, and interfering with the electoral process. Despite the allegations, Nalukoola was declared the winner, a decision now overturned by the High Court.
Justice Namanya’s ruling now sets the stage for a fresh contest in one of Kampala’s most politically volatile constituencies.
While the Electoral Commission is expected to release a roadmap for the new poll in the coming weeks, Nalukoola retains the option to appeal the High Court decision before the Court of Appeal.
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