Uganda’s ruling NRM Party’s top decision making organ, the Central Executive Committee (CEC), has rejected the results of the Kawempe North by-election and announced plans to challenge them in court.
The decision was reached during a meeting chaired by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Friday.
In a statement released on Saturday by NRM Secretary General Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, the party cited widespread electoral irregularities, including voter intimidation, violence, and alleged rigging, as reasons for rejecting the outcome.
The by-election, held on Thursday, March 13, was conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission (EC) and saw National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate declared the winner with 17,764 votes against NRM’s flag bearer, Ms. Faridah Nambi Kigongo, who garnered 8,593 votes.
NRM Alleges Electoral Malpractice
The ruling party claims that the electoral process was marred by violence against its supporters, particularly women and the elderly, preventing them from exercising their right to vote. It further accuses elements within the opposition of provoking security forces, leading to excessive force and arrests.
Todwong acknowledged reports that journalists were caught up in the security crackdown and assured the public that investigations into the alleged excessive use of force were already underway.
Additionally, the NRM raised concerns over electoral malpractices, including ballot stuffing and vote rigging, which led the EC to nullify results from several polling stations, affecting over 50,000 votes—more than 62% of the expected total. The party argues that the EC declared a winner based on less than 40% of the expected votes, a situation it describes as a “significant disenfranchisement” of the people of Kawempe North.
NRM to Challenge Results in Court
Citing historical parallels with the 1980 general elections that prompted the NRM’s armed struggle, Todwong reaffirmed the party’s stance against what it considers electoral injustices. He announced that NRM lawyers have been instructed to prepare a legal challenge to the election results.
“We will not accept this level of disenfranchisement and will be legally challenging the declaration of the results,” the statement read.
The by-election had attracted ten candidates, with competition largely centered between the NRM and the NUP. The opposition party has yet to respond to the NRM’s claims, while the EC maintains that it conducted the election in line with the law.
As legal proceedings loom, the dispute over the Kawempe North seat is set to further heighten political tensions in the capital, Kampala.