By Our Reporter
Voters in Kawempe North Constituency return to the polls on Thursday, March 13, 2025, to elect their new parliamentary representative in a hotly contested by-election. The poll follows the passing of the area’s former Member of Parliament, Muhammad Ssegirinya, in January this year.
Alongside the parliamentary vote, residents of Kazo Angola Parish will also elect their new City Council representative in a by-election that has drawn intense public attention.
Electoral Overview
The Electoral Commission (EC) has confirmed that 199,064 registered voters are expected to cast their ballots at 197 polling stations across Kawempe North. A total of 10 candidates are contesting for the parliamentary seat, representing various political parties and independent interests.
The candidates include:
- Edward Stanley Engena – Independent
- Henry Hasaka Mubiru – Democratic Party (DP)
- Muhammad Luwemba Luswa – Independent
- Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola – National Unity Platform (NUP)
- Sadat Mukiibi Aganaga – Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)
- Hanifah Karadi – Independent
- Ismael Musitwa – People’s Progressive Party (PPP)
- Muhammad Mutazindwa – Independent
- Faridah Nambi Kigongo – National Resistance Movement (NRM)
- Moses Nsereko – Independent
Polling stations opened at 7:00 am, with voting scheduled to close at 4:00 pm. The EC clarified that voters still in line after 4:00 pm will be allowed to cast their ballots.
During a pre-polling briefing on Wednesday, Justice Simon Byabakama, Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, confirmed that polling materials were dispatched from the Commission’s Banda warehouse at 3:00 am, with agents of all candidates invited to witness the distribution process.
Allegations Of Vote Rigging Stir Tensions
The by-election has not been without controversy. On Wednesday afternoon, leaders of the National Unity Platform (NUP), including Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, and their candidate Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola, raised alarm over alleged vote-rigging activities.
The NUP officials claim to have uncovered a house in Namere Cell, Kawempe, where individuals dressed in UPDF uniforms and plain clothes were reportedly engaging in the pre-ticking of ballots. The discovery sparked a confrontation, resulting in injuries to two journalists and minor injuries to Rubongoya. Additionally, the rear window of the official vehicle belonging to the Leader of Opposition was shattered during the scuffle.
The allegations, which have since circulated widely on social media, prompted a response from the EC Chairperson. Justice Byabakama dismissed claims of pre-ticked ballots, stating that any such materials, if they exist, are not genuine.
“I wish somebody would give us a sample of those pre-ticked ballots; we shall outrightly prove that these are not our ballots. Ours are intact; they have not been distributed anywhere,” Byabakama asserted.
Justice Byabakama also addressed incidents of violence earlier in the day, reportedly perpetrated by security operatives from the Joint Anti-Terrorism Unit. He described the actions of the operatives as “unfortunate and regrettable,” urging security agencies to exercise restraint and respect the electoral process.
The EC has appealed for calm as voting progresses and has reiterated its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and credible by-election.
Background
The Kawempe North parliamentary by-election follows the death of Muhammad Ssegirinya, a prominent NUP legislator who had served the constituency since 2021. His passing created a vacancy that has reignited political competition in one of Kampala’s most politically active areas.
With tensions high and voter enthusiasm evident, the by-election is seen as a test of the Electoral Commission’s ability to deliver a peaceful and credible poll in Uganda’s capital.
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