High Court Nullifies Kawempe North By-Election, Orders Fresh Polls

Kampala, May 26, 2025 — The High Court in Kampala has overturned the results of the March 13, 2025, parliamentary by-election for Kawempe Division North constituency, citing widespread irregularities that compromised the fairness of the poll. Justice Bernard Namanya ruled that the Electoral Commission’s failure to include votes from 14 polling stations—disenfranchising 16,640 voters—substantially affected the election’s outcome. Additionally, the winning candidate, Luyimbazi Elias Nalukoola, was found guilty of personally campaigning on polling day, a violation of electoral laws.  

The court dismissed other allegations, including bribery and voter obstruction, due to insufficient evidence linking them directly to Nalukoola. However, the judge emphasized that the exclusion of votes from the disputed polling stations alone was enough to invalidate the results, as it created significant doubt over the legitimacy of Nalukoola’s victory.  

Nalukoola, National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate, had been declared the winner with 17,939 votes (63.5%), while his closest rival, Nambi Faridah Kigongo of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), received 9,058 votes (32.06%). The voter turnout was notably low at just 14.4%.  

In his ruling, Justice Namanya referenced previous cases, including Apollo Kantinti v. Sitenda Sebalu, where courts annulled elections over similar disenfranchisement issues. He criticized the Electoral Commission for not following legal procedures to adjourn voting or tallying in areas affected by violence, which led to the loss of critical election materials.  

The court declared the Kawempe North parliamentary seat vacant and ordered the Electoral Commission to conduct a fresh election. Each party was directed to bear its own legal costs.  

The decision is expected to reignite debates over electoral integrity in Uganda, particularly regarding voter disenfranchisement and candidate misconduct. The Electoral Commission is yet to announce a date for the new poll.