Members of parliament have criticized the Electoral Commission for adamantly failing to gazette Kawempe North by-election MP-elect Elias Nalukoola Luyimbazi.
The Electoral Commission declared Nalukoola the winner of last Friday’s by-election, but he has not been sworn in yet. During Thursday’s plenary chaired by speaker Anita Among MPs raised concern over the matter. Kira Municipality MP, Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, noted that Igara East MP Michael Mawanda was previously sworn in within 24 hours of his election victory.
“Madam speaker, may we know when Nalukoola, the Kawempe by-election winner, will be sworn in?” Ssemujju asked. In response, Among explained that parliament could only swear in an elected MP after receiving an official gazette from the Electoral Commission.
“I am waiting for the gazette, and I need to hear from the Electoral Commission,” she stated. Her remarks triggered an emotional response from Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), who condemned the EC’s conduct.
“We are dismayed that the Electoral Commission has not gazetted the winner of the Kawempe Northby-election. When we followed up, they told us they are still sorting out internal issues,” Ssenyonyi said.
He argued that in previous elections, gazettement was done promptly and accused the EC of failing in its responsibility. “After declaring a candidate the winner, the EC no longer has any role. Since the government supervises the commission, they should tell us what is causing the delay,” he added.
Ssenyonyi also raised concerns about the government’s silence on the security forces’ brutality during the Kawempe North by-election, where Nalukoola, opposition MPs, and journalists were assaulted.
“Who is responsible for the brutality? We have raised this issue in parliament, but the government has not responded. Officials, including Prime Minister RobinahNabbanja and Internal Affairs minister Gen David Muhoozi, condemned the violence—so can we know who ordered it?” he asked.
He further criticized government ministers for making sarcastic comments suggesting that the opposition orchestrated the violence against themselves and journalists. Ssenyonyi also decried the ongoing spate of abductions, citing the disappearance of Bright Muhumuza, NUP’s coordinator for Western Uganda, on Wednesday night.
“One of our coordinators was abducted last night. We do not know why the government continues to commit atrocities against its own citizens. What hurts most is the government’s pretense—acting as if nothing is happening while nobody is held accountable,” he lamented.
He demanded that errant security officers be punished, questioning why no one had been held responsible for attacking political leaders, supporters, and journalists during elections.
Ssemujju also weighed in, announcing plans to table a motion condemning violence against journalists.
“I don’t know how to make the government understand that the media covers all sides, including the NRM. Yet, during the Kawempe by-election, we saw armoured vehicles at polling stations—a scene reminiscent of war zones when the military was fighting the Lord’s Resistance Army in Northern Uganda,” he said.
“What was so special about the Kawempe North by-election that warranted military deployment? This was a clear violation of the Parliamentary Elections Act,” he added.
David Bahati, acting Leader of Government Business, said the government had visited an injured journalist in Nsambya hospital and would cover his medical expenses. On security brutality, Bahati simply stated, “President Yoweri Museveni issued a statement on the situation in Kawempe. I have nothing to add.”
His response was dismissed by Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County), who argued that the president’s statement could not override the Constitution.
“This House must put on record our growing dismay over the Electoral Commission’sconduct in the Kawempe North by-election. Despite the results being declared, what is stopping the EC from doing its job? Whoever is aggrieved can seek legal redress, but the people of Kawempe North deserve representation,” Ssekikubo asserted.
Among directed the Attorney General to follow up on the matter. “We shall wait for the gazette, and once we receive it, we will swear in the member. It is in my best interest to have my member in the House because the people of Kawempe North deserve representation,” she concluded.
Indeed those are the kind of constant lies and contradictions this long serving government is declaring to the citizens of Uganda! Many of the citizens are indeed wondering that during the debate on the recent budget, there was uproar on the side of the government when the opposition criticised the immense expenditure of state house standing at over a trillion of shillings per finanicial year. That is why such administive mismanagement is sending a clear message to the Kingdom state of Buganda not to continue to participate in Central government national violent elections that are not free and fair!
Its the Kingdom that owns the saying that ” Engabo enzira….”
This means that if you are going to take part in a struggle ( against a vicious foe) you`ve got to count on and get prepared for the risk of getting hurt in the process. ( hurt phyically , emotinally , financially , legally and everything-cally)
I would like to think that those in the frontline are aware of this and know what they are doing and why they are doing it.
A 1 metre long axe that weighs less than a kilo can eventully fall a 2 tone giant tree ; but that exe must first be an axe – one that to outlast the tree.
Only those who want to save the tree can tell the axe : let go, you stand no chance .
For Uganda’s political multiparty fraternity to involve themselves in such dodgy national elections with the hope of uniting this country, they seem to be doing such a process at their own peril. FDC and now NUP and many others and the independents are constantly joining in such NRM mismanagement knowing very well the final miserable outcome. Supreme court Judges have been threatened with their lives, innocent citizens are loosing their lives, corruption in Government and Opposition is increasing and so on without any let up! Now that NUP is complaining about some injustice being done to its members right now, where exactly is this self-styled political party going to take its case in the Uganda courts of law?
Mukulu Kabayekka ,you sound strange . Who has been whispering in your ear !
There other day , I asked you to name an altanative plan in case NUP stops complaining ?
Tell me how Museveni might re-act if NUP and other persons in the opposition stopped participating in elections.
Isn´t what you are suggesting something the dictator wants to hear ?
Ugandans and the Ssenyonyi of this country must be reminded that: a regime of criminals, by criminals and for criminals, can never punish fellow wrongdoers who carry out diabolic criminal activities on their behalf, but instead promote them.
In other words, the only solution to the current political and economic criminal menace, is for Ugandans to martial courage and run out of town, the current organized criminals who are ruining the affairs of this country.
Run out of town is now the solution !!!
I am not sure . I need another opinion .
Very interesting Frontline talk show last evening. Guests talked real substance except the NRM guest. Now I get a clear picture and I do not understand why it is taking long for the winner to be sworn in.
{For Uganda’s political multiparty fraternity to involve themselves in such dodgy national elections with the hope of uniting this country, they seem to be doing such a process at their own peril. FDC and now NUP and many others and the independents are constantly joining in such NRM mismanagement knowing very well the final miserable outcome. Supreme court Judges have been threatened with their lives, innocent citizens are loosing their lives, corruption in Government and Opposition is increasing without any let up! Now that NUP is complaining about some injustice being done to its members, where exactly is this self-styled political party going to take its case in the Uganda courts of law?}
Kabayekka, thanks.
Only Ugandans with just 1 of them as National/Common Leader, who will call for an end to the tribalistic system & to UNITY, will give chance to end this sensless manoeuver, manipulation, spittle on them!
MPs only ensure ownership of Uganda by Rwandese Museveni & 39 years with no chance he will ever be replaced, is a blessing for them!
Ugandans, please, no one can force you to say NO to the tribalistic system & UNITE! But you should know that Museveni doesn’t need fake presidential elections & will rule with or without!
So why go for useless parliamentary election to ensure the heartless MPs free pays for pretending Uganda owned by Rwandese Museveni since 1986 is a country & let Ugandans stay slaves legally, constitutionally!
{a regime of criminals, by criminals and for criminals, can never punish fellow wrongdoers who carry out diabolic criminal activities on their behalf, but instead promote them.
In other words, the only solution to the current political and economic criminal menace, is for Ugandans to martial courage and run out of town, the current organized criminals who are ruining the affairs of this country.}
Lakwena, thanks.
Just NO to the divisive tribalistic system & UNITY with just 1 Common Leader, are what Ugandans need!
Is there any reason powerless Ugandans without Common Goal, go for next deadly presidential, parliamentary, local elections that will bolster, protect Museveni & the useless MPs ensuring Ugandans are slaves, the zone remains undeveloped, except State House, Ministers, MPs residences?
“Madam speaker, may we know when Nalukoola, the Kawempe by-election winner, will be sworn in?” Ssemujju asked. Assuming Nabakoola is urgently sworn in, then what? What is going to change? There’re over 500 MPs sworn in and each and every 5 years for the last 40 years MPs have been sworn in. However, Uganda is getting worse day by day with no end in sight, to the extent that, the govt unleashed its usual vote rigging and known brutality to the opposition during the Kawempe byelections. However, Nalukoola, claimed winner, isn’t yet sworn in because M7 claims irregularities that involved brutality and vote rigging!
Who is fulling who?
There’s a beta male here who clearly has intentionally stuck his head in the sand and bootlegging bogus elections as the means to bring change to Uganda. As a bootlicker, he certainly believes that recycling bogus elections over and over again will yield different results. However, as it was evidenced in the Kawempe byelections, bogus elections organized by M7, produce the same vote rigging and brutal violence from M7’s militants to the opposition. That has been the case for 40 years since M7 captured our state by means of the gun and violence. So, this lunatic hates me with a passion because I’m relentless and adamant that we must abandoning bogus elections because, they only benefit those in power, like M7, Kyagulanyi and others. Kyagulanyi, NUP and other opposition figures and their parties are in it to make money but not to bring change.
A LUNATIC is the one who replies to their own idiotic recycled, monotous and manic nonsense , year after year , day after day under each and every article .
Some mothers have them ….
Who is fooling who…..?!
Its the one who habitually hallucinates that repeating the same silly, propagandistic and selective diatribe for 5 years is going to change something.
If anybody needs a brain transplant , its not Nalukoola.
The truth is that we do not have any government system that is still working in uganda…it is a one one’s army….Enough is enough