Nalukoola Swearing-in Hangs in Balance; EC Hasn’t Gazetted His Kawempe North By-election Victory

Although he won the Kawempe North by-election, Counsel Elias Nalukoola Luyimbazi of the National Unity Platform (NUP) may not be sworn in as soon as other winners of by-elections have in recent years.

After Kawempe voters rejected President Yoweri Museveni’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) party officials were quick to claim they had been rigged out, and that they would not only challenge the results in court but would also investigate how the rigging happened. (Watch video Here).

President Museveni later issued a statement on the Kawempe North by-election, making serious allegations on vote rigging in the election that saw brutality meted on journalists and opposition supporters.

Museveni on Kawempe North by-election won by Nalukoola

Fellow Ugandans, especially the Bazzukulu, greetings. It is good that we are getting the rains after a very hot season. Stop damaging the environment, please, wherever you are. In this piece, I am writing to inform you that an electoral and criminal investigation has started in the Kawempe North by-election.

The following allegations have come up: ballot papers stuffing, altering results, destroying ballot boxes in Kazo-Angola, Mbogo Mosque zone, etc., because, apparently, some People did not want those votes to be counted, campaigning at the Polling Stations, intimidation, violence, etc.

The heavy deployment of security forces may have stopped mass violence but it could not stop these micro crimes that should have been managed by the election officials.

Some People really miscalculate. To think that you can commit such crimes against the law and the People when the NRM is in charge of the country is the highest form of shallowness. We shall hold everybody responsible accountable.

Those who intimidate NRM supporters must stop and apologize to those you intimidate. Those of the language: “yemwe abatusibyeko NRM”, must stop. Respect the Ugandans’ choices. Ballot-stuffing has been going on since 1961. That is how Uganda ended up being unstable. Leaders do not concentrate on solving People’s problems because they know they can cheat and be in power whether the People support them or not.

This will stop. That is why we are insisting on only bio-metric verification. Nobody else who is not bio-metrically verified will vote. I hope all the Ugandans who want peace will support this. It must be one person, one vote. Somebody was arrested with 18 ballot papers.

The NRM People must not involve themselves in cheating by saying that the Opposition is doing it, they must also do it. Work to crush that disenfranchisement of the Ugandan People. That is why the NRM went to the bush.

I have heard People talking about the harsh methods by some security elements, especially against the journalists. We are studying this. However, the Original question should be: “Why should the UPDF and JATT have to be deployed in crowd management?” Uganda is like and island of peace in the Region. Why? It is because of the UPDF. They have enough work fighting ADF, the cattle-rustlers in Karamoja, Kony in Central African Republic (CAR), al-shabaab in Somalia, etc.

There, they shoot to kill. That is why night club goers can dance the whole night in peace. Why, then, do they get diverted to deal with crowds? It is because of the indiscipline of some opposition groups.

Who organized the Kabaka riots of September 10-12, 2009? Who organized the 2020 riots of November 18 to 20th where People were killed, NRM women were undressed, Policemen were attacked? Where was the Army in all that?

I deployed the commandos on the 20^th of November and they crushed the insurrection. Who organized the panga groups in Masaka? Who destroyed the ballot boxes of 50 Polling stations out of 197 polling stations in Kawempe North?

You have been inviting the NRM to attend to you. We shall do exactly that. The mistakes the soldiers may do could be on account of preparing for those non-lethal roles when they are diverted from their work of fighting on account of indiscipline of some actors.

These are the criminal mistakes of the Opposition.

However, there are also organizational mistakes on the NRM side, especially not working collectively and reaching the Wanainchi. Investigations will show us who destroyed the ballot paper boxes at Kazo-Angola, Mbogo centre, etc. and why.

Could it be because of the big support the NRM has there because of the anti-poverty programmes in the area? CEC is addressing those mistakes. We had a meeting on Friday, last. — President Yoweri Museveni 

During March 20, plenary, Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda tasked Speaker Anita Among to update the House on the delayed swearing-in ceremony of Nalukoola.

“After a by-election, Michael Mawanda [Igara East] was declared a winner and the following day, he was sworn in,” noted Ssemujju.

“As the head can you get us to know when Nalukoola will be sworn in? Mawanda was sworn in, in 24 hours!”

Leader of opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi also joined Ssemujju in demanding an explanation from the speaker. Ssenyonyi noted that the EC had told them that they were sorting out “internal issues.”

“We are dismayed that up to now, the Electoral Commission hasn’t gazetted the person that won the Kawempe North by-election. We did follow up with Electoral Commission, they did tell us that they are still sorting out internal issues,” submitted Ssenyonyi.

“We don’t know what that means because in the past, it has been done in record time. Can Government tell us, what has caused the delay because in the past, it has been done very quickly?”

Speaker Among said the Electoral Commission had not yet issued a notice to her office regarding Nalukoola’s election.

“When a member wins, I wait for the gazette. When I get the gazette that is when I swear in the member, so I am waiting for the gazette. I need to hear from Electoral Commission.”

Last week, Nalukoola won the Kawempe North by-election to replace fallen MP Muhammad Ssegirinya. (See Details Here and There).

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