Elias Lukwago Nalukoola has filed a formal appeal against the High Court decision that annulled his Kawempe North MP victory. The Court of Appeal received his notice of appeal on June 10, 2025, just weeks after Justice Bernard Namanya declared the March by-election null and void.
In the signed document, Nalukoola expressed dissatisfaction with the entire judgment. He aims to overturn the ruling that also instructed the Electoral Commission to organize a fresh election in Kawempe North.
Nalukoola, a National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate, won the seat after the death of Muhammad Ssegirinya. However, Faridah Nambi of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) contested the results. She accused Nalukoola of flouting election laws.
Justice Namanya ruled that Nalukoola campaigned at polling stations during voting hours. The judge cited witness reports placing him at Kazo Angola LCI and Mbogo Primary School between 11 a.m. and noon. Such activity directly violates Section 100 of the Parliamentary Elections Act.
The court criticized Nalukoola for failing to disprove the testimony. “When evidence is not challenged, it is deemed to be admitted,” the judge stated.
The ruling also blamed the Electoral Commission for failing to tally votes from 14 polling stations affected by violence. Over 16,000 voters were disenfranchised, including the petitioner.
Although Nalukoola claimed the missing votes wouldn’t change the outcome, the court disagreed. It found the irregularities significant enough to question the election’s integrity. The judge added that the Electoral Commission could have postponed polling or counting, but it failed to act.
The decision is yet another legal setback for the NUP, which has faced numerous election-related petitions since 2021. With the Elias Lukwago Nalukoola appeal now filed, a new legal contest is underway.
The Electoral Commission has not yet scheduled a date for the by-election. That decision depends on the outcome of the appeal.
