The Electoral Commission has formally announced the victory of Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola as the Member of Parliament-elect for Kawempe North, bringing an end to 11 days of uncertainty within the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) camp. This official recognition follows the publication of his win in the Uganda Gazette on March 24, 2025, confirming his success in the recent parliamentary by-election.
Nalukoola triumphed with 17,939 votes, outpacing his rivals, including Faridah Nambi of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), who received 9,058 votes. Notably, Nambi’s final vote count was updated from an initial 8,593, a revision that followed a recount of the ballots.
The publication in the Gazette clears the path for Nalukoola’s swearing-in and his official entry into Parliament. This moment comes after days of tension stemming from a delay in the gazetting process, which led Nalukoola to threaten to protest at the Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) unless an explanation was provided. His concerns were addressed after discussions with the Electoral Commission, which confirmed that his results had been forwarded to the UPPC for publication.
This breakthrough comes after Nalukoola’s vocal calls for the withdrawal of UPDF soldiers from Kawempe North, accusing them of intimidation and meddling in the election. Despite the challenges, the publication of his victory marks a pivotal moment in his political journey and in Uganda’s parliamentary landscape.
Justice Simon Byabakama, the Electoral Commission chairman, has officially concluded the electoral process with the full list of results now available in the Gazette. This marks the final step before Nalukoola’s formal swearing-in as a Member of Parliament, a crucial step in cementing his role in the country’s political future.
In an additional development, Nambi recently withdrew her court petition contesting the results of the March 13th by-election, citing intimidation of both voters and journalists by the police and military during the campaign period. In a letter dated March 25, 2025, addressed to the Kawempe Chief Magistrate and delivered through Nambi’s lawyer, Mr. Denis Atwijukire, it was confirmed that the complainant had decided to retract the case following the gazetting of Nalukoola’s victory.
