Nambi accuses MP Nalukoola of bribing witnesses

KAMPALA - The Kawempe North by-election petition has taken a dramatic twist with the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, Faridah Nambi, accusing MP Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola of bribing her witnesses. 

Nambi’s legal team, led by Ahmed Mukasa Kalule, on Wednesday (April 30) told Justice Bernard Namanya of the Civil Division of the High Court that Nalukoola convinced their two witnesses — Nathan Kayemba Muwanguzi and George William Mawumbe to retract bribery allegations against him [Nalukoola]. 

“The act of approaching and convincing our witnesses to make them retract their statements is unlawful and is in violation of Rule 19 of the Advocates’ Professional Code of Conduct,” Kalule said. 

The court heard that Muwanguzi and Mawumbe swore affidavits in support of the petition on April 9, 2025, which they filed in court on Nambi’s behalf. 

Subsequently, they were approached by Nalukoola’s lawyers and one Ben Mukasa to swear affidavits in support of the legislator’s defence. 

Kalule argued that Nambi’s witnesses’ affidavits were obtained illegally, claiming that Nalukoola and his lawyers should have waited to cross-examine the witnesses in court. 

However, Nalukoola’s lawyer, Samuel Muyizzi, denied the allegations, saying it would be unreasonable to dismiss witnesses who come forward claiming coercion. 

Muyizzi said election petitions are determined through thorough investigations, urging the court to conduct one.

Lawyer George Musisi informed the court that Nalukoola has six additional affidavits to file, with some information held by the Electoral Commission (EC). 

Musisi said they had requested from the EC 35 copies of declaration forms and the voters’ register used in the election. 

The EC’s lawyer, Eric Sabiiti, also requested more time to file documents by the following Monday. 

The judge adjourned the case to Monday to allow Nalukoola to respond to the allegations before setting a trial date for the main petition.

Nalukoola said he did not campaign amongst the voters who turned up to vote at Mbogo Primary School playground, or any other places as alleged by Nambi on the polling day.

Petition 

In a petition dated April 11, 2025, Nambi sought a declaration that there was non-compliance with the provisions of the Parliamentary Elections Act relating to elections, in that there was a failure to conduct the election in accordance with the provisions laid down in the Act, and that this failure and non-compliance substantially affected the results of the election. 

Through her lawyers, Nambi contends that, whereas voting took place within the regular voting time of 7:00am to 4:00pm, the EC failed to return the results of 14 polling stations with 16,640 registered voters, and declared a final result of the election contrary to the law. 

Nambi also accuses Nalukoola of committing several electoral offences, including bribery of voters with money and other household items, campaigning on polling day and obstructing electoral officials. 

She equally faults the EC for failing in its duty to conduct and oversee the Kawempe North by-election in a fair manner. 

Nambi wants the High Court to nullify Nalukoola’s victory and wants the EC to hold a fresh byelection to replace the late MP Muhammad Ssegirinya, who passed away on January 9, 2025, in Rubaga hospital after battling a long illness.

Rebuttal 

Nalukoola said the general voter turnout in the 83 polling stations considered by EC was at 14.4%. 

“Whether or not the results from the impugned polling stations are included, going by the voting trend and patterns in the general election, I would still be the winning candidate in so far as the margin would not be affected substantially even if the petitioner had won in the majority of the impugned polling station,” he said. 

Nalukoola said he did not campaign amongst the voters who turned up to vote at Mbogo Primary School playground, or any other places as alleged by Nambi on the polling day.

Filed by Michael Odeng, Sophia Kagoya and Barbra Kabahumuza