The High Court in Kampala has nullified the election of Luyimbazi Elias Nalukoola as the Member of Parliament for Kawempe Division North, over irregularities under the Parliamentary Elections Act.
In a ruling delivered on May 26, 2025, by Justice Bernard Namanya, the court declared the Kawempe North seat vacant and ordered the Electoral Commission to organize a fresh election.
The petitioner, Nambi, had challenged Nalukoola’s victory on grounds of electoral malpractice, including voter bribery and disenfranchisement. Each party was ordered to meet their own legal costs.
Justice Namanya based his ruling on Section 82(4)(c) and Section 82(6)(c) of the Parliamentary Elections Act (Cap. 177), which allow for nullification if an election is not conducted in accordance with the law or if bribery and intimidation are proven to have affected the results.
Reacting to the ruling, NRM EC Chairperson Tanga Odoi said, “I have not seen the ruling yet, but I believe the grounds were rational. We shall organize our house and go for elections.”
He added that aggrieved parties have the right to appeal.
Meanwhile, lawyers representing Luyimbazi Nalukoola expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling and confirmed they will file an appeal in the Court of Appeal, insisting their client was duly elected by the people of Kawempe North and that the court erred in its findings.
Lawyer George Musisi says they’ve already begun preparing the paperwork for the Court of Appeal.
“We are confident that the Court of Appeal will overturn this decision,” said one of the lawyers.
On Wednesday, March 26, 2025, the Speaker Anita Among swore in Nalukoola Luyimbazi, as the newly elected Kawempe North MP under NUP.
Nalukoola won the by-election with over 17,000 votes, securing a landslide victory.
This followed the Electoral Commission’s gazetting of Nalukoola’s victory on March 24, 2025, confirming his win in the by-election held on March 13, 2025.
Nalukoola, representing the National Unity Platform (NUP), secured 17,939 votes, defeating his closest rival, Faridah Nambi of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), who garnered 9,058 votes.
