Luyimbazi Nalukoola Appeals Court Ruling Nullifying Kawempe North By-Election Victory
Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola has filed a notice of appeal challenging a High Court ruling that annulled his victory in the Kawempe North by-election over claims of major electoral irregularities that significantly influenced the outcome.
The verdict, delivered by Justice Bernard Namanya, stated that the Electoral Commission (EC) failed to account for votes from 14 polling stations, affecting 16,640 registered voters. The judge noted that this oversight disenfranchised a substantial number of voters, including petitioner Faridah Nambi Kigongo.
Justice Namanya further found that Nalukoola had violated the Parliamentary Elections Act by actively campaigning on polling day at two voting centers—Mbogo Primary School Playground and Kazo Angola LCI Office.
Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission, which was jointly sued alongside Nalukoola for conducting a flawed election, has accepted the court’s ruling and announced it will not pursue an appeal.
Sabiiti acknowledged that while the Commission could have challenged the court’s interpretation of what constitutes a “substantial” irregularity, Nalukoola’s involvement in illegal election-day campaigning was a decisive factor in their choice to forgo an appeal.
