Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola of the National Unity Platform (NUP) has been declared the winner of the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election, a race overshadowed by allegations of voter suppression, military intimidation, and violent attacks on journalists.
The election, held to fill the seat left vacant by the late Muhammad Ssegirinya, saw a heavy security presence, with reports of opposition agents and members of the press being harassed and arrested.
The Electoral Commission’s returning officer, Henry Makabayi, announced Nalukoola as the winner after securing 17,764 votes, defeating the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Faridah Nambi, who garnered 8,593 votes. The voter turnout, however, was alarmingly low, with only 14.1% of the registered 199,000 voters casting their ballots.
Despite the NUP victory, the election process was marred by chaos, with security forces accused of pre-marking ballots, intimidating voters, and violently attacking journalists covering the event. Several reporters from major media houses, including NBS TV and Daily Monitor, were arrested or assaulted, prompting news organizations to withdraw their journalists from the field.
“This is a bittersweet victory,” said NUP Secretary-General David Lewis Rubongoya. “We celebrate the resilience of the people of Kawempe North, but we condemn the state brutality that marred this election.”
Independent candidate Hanifah Karadi, who finished third, also expressed concern over the conduct of the election, citing reports of pre-ticked ballots and voter intimidation.
With the win, Nalukoola will now represent Kawempe North in Parliament, but questions linger over the fairness of the electoral process and the growing concerns about press freedom and democracy in Uganda.
