The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is set to challenge the results of the recently concluded Kawempe North by-election.
Other candidates included: Henry Kasacca (Democratic Party – DP) – 100 votes; Sadat Mukiibi (Aganaga) (Forum for Democratic Change – FDC) – 239 votes; Ismail Musiitwa (People’s Progressive Party – PPP) – 39 votes.
Independent candidates: Hanifah Karadi – 381 votes; Muhamood Mutazindwa – 186 votes; Muhammed Lusswa Luwemba – 240 votes; Moses Nsereko – 32 votes and Henry Stanley Maitum (son of former President Milton Obote) – 22 votes.
According to Richard Todwong Awany, Secretary General of the ruling party, the NRM’s Central Executive Committee met yesterday under the chairmanship of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and resolved to reject the election results as announced by the Electoral Commission. The party intends to legally challenge the outcome.
“There was violence against NRM supporters, preventing them from exercising their constitutional right to vote for the candidate of their choice. We are compiling statistics on our supporters who were brutalized by elements opposing our candidate,” Todwong stated.
The party further alleged that many of its supporters, especially women and the elderly, were intimidated and prevented from casting their votes, thereby disenfranchising them. Additionally, security personnel responsible for maintaining peace were allegedly provoked by opposition elements, leading to excessive force being used in some cases. This, according to the NRM, resulted in the arrest of voters and injuries to journalists caught in the crossfire.
“The party apologizes to Ugandans who were affected by this excessive use of force by security personnel. The government is already investigating these incidents, including injuries sustained by journalists, and those responsible will be held accountable,” he added.
The NRM also raised concerns over serious electoral malpractices involving both opposition elements and some of its own supporters. Allegations of ballot stuffing and rigging led the Independent Electoral Commission to nullify results from several polling stations, affecting more than 50,000 votes, which were not included in the final tally.
The canceled polling stations represented over 62% of the expected votes, meaning the Electoral Commission declared a winner based on less than 40% of the expected votes. The NRM claims this significantly affected the will and mandate of the Kawempe North electorate.
“This is a case of complete disenfranchisement—one of the key reasons the National Resistance Movement took to the bush in 1980. We will not accept this level of disenfranchisement and will legally challenge the by-election results as declared by the Independent Electoral Commission,” the party stated.
