Investigations into the controversial Kawempe North by-election are still ongoing, according to Emmanuel Dombo, the director of Communications for the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
This follows the party’s formal rejection of the by-election results and its decision to challenge the outcome in court. The by-election, held on March 13, was won by Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola of the National Unity Platform (NUP), who secured 17,764 votes.
His closest competitor, Faridah Nambi of the NRM, garnered 8,593 votes. Other candidates in the race included:
• Henry Kasacca (Democratic Party – DP): 100 votes
• Sadat Mukiibi Aganaga (Forum for Democratic Change – FDC): 239 votes
• Ismail Musiitwa (People’s Progressive Party – PPP): 39 votes
• Hanifah Karadi: 381 votes
• Mahamood Mutazindwa: 186 votes
• Muhammed Lusswa Luwemba: 240 votes
• Moses Nsereko: 32 votes
• Henry Stanley Maitum (son of former President Milton Obote): 22 votes
NRM REJECTS RESULTS, CITES IRREGULARITIES
The NRM’s Central Executive Committee (CEC), chaired by President Yoweri Museveni, resolved to contest the election outcome.
The party cited incidents of violence allegedly committed by NUP supporters at multiple polling stations and claimed that the cancellation of results from 14 polling stations by the Electoral Commission effectively disenfranchised approximately 50,000 registered voters.
In a statement, the NRM said: “The Central Executive Committee of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) rejects the results of the Kawempe North Constituency by-election as declared by the Electoral Commission.”
The party further urged the government to conduct a forensic audit to identify and hold accountable those responsible for any election malpractice.
LEGAL CHALLENGE TO BE FILED
Richard Todwong, NRM secretary-general, confirmed that the party had instructed its legal team to file a petition challenging the validity of the election results. According to Dombo, a formal petition will be submitted once the party has received the final report from election officials.
“Investigations are still ongoing. Once the final report is released, we will file a substantive petition,” Dombo told The Observer.
“Even the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, when appearing before parliament, acknowledged that he could not comment on a matter still under investigation.”
CONTROVERSY OVER CANCELED VOTES AND GAZETTE RESULTS
Dombo emphasized that the results from the 14 polling stations—whose results were canceled—could significantly impact the outcome if added to either of the top two candidates.
“Those votes, if counted, could change the entire outcome. There is still hope that our candidate will reclaim her victory,” he said.
He also criticized the publication of conflicting results in the Uganda Gazette on March 24, 2025, which sparked further debate. The gazetted figures reportedly differed from those originally announced by the returning officer, Henry Makabayi.
The NRM maintains that the discrepancies and alleged electoral violations are grounds for legal redress, and is optimistic about a favorable court ruling once investigations conclude.
From various talk shows on TV many said that NRM failed miserably in its maneuvers to rig the votes and even some NRM supporters admitted this. We should just go on with constructive business and even stop wasting the courts time which is already overburden with cases that matter. Please accept defeat honorably