Why EC disqualified independent Kakwanzi from western youth MP race

The Electoral Commission has nullified the nomination of independent Western Region Youth Representative to Parliament candidate Elizabeth Kakwanzi Acen, effectively removing her from the 2026 parliamentary race.

Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi, the EC chairperson, in a letter dated November 23, 2025, reference LEG75/79/01, said, “it was the commission findings that the appearance of the same National Identity Number (NIN) against the names of Believe Niwagaba and Aloysius Owenyesigye on the nomination of Kakwanzi, was merely an error and not fatal.

However, failure by Yasin Rujumba to append his signature or countersign as a supporter offended Sections 28 (1) (c) and 30 (a) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Cap. 177.”

The complaint against Kakwanzi, filed by a petitioner whose identity has not been made public, alleged serious irregularities in her nomination papers, prompting the EC to conduct hearings on November 18 and 23, 2025.

Byabakama noted in his letter that, “the petitioners stated that upon inspection of the nomination paper of Kakwanzi, he observed that two of his supporters, namely Niwagaba and Owonyesigye had the same NIN CM015109REC, and that such duplication constitutes a misrepresentation of facts and violates the Parliamentary Elections Act, which requires all information supplied by a candidate to be true and accurate.”

In her response, Byabakama said Kakwanzi “stated that the impugned NIN belongs to Niwagaba and was written against Owenyesigye’s name in error.”

He stated that after hearing the complaint, receiving submissions from both sides, and examining the EC’s voter database, the commission made the following observations:
Niwagaba and Owenyesigye, who both appear on Kakwanzi’s list of supporters under the same NIN, are registered voters, members of the electoral college and have distinct NINs.

Rujumba’s signature appears on his national identity card and the affidavit he submitted; however, the word farmer appears in the signature column against his name on the nomination papers, implying that he did not append his signature to Kakwanzi’s documents.

The list of supporters Kakwanzi submitted to the returning officer contains alterations without counter-signatures, and some names were whitewashed and visibly substituted.

Justice Byabakama stated that, “accordingly the commission under MIN.COMP/058/2025 found Kakwanzi’s nomination void, and she stands denominated.”

Kakwanzi defeated in NRM primaries

On September 19, 2025, Mwine Tumwebaze clinched the ruling National Resistance Movement flag for Youth Member of Parliament representing Western Uganda after a closely contested primary election, defeating Kakwanzi.

Official results released by NRM Electoral Commission vice chairperson Fred Jachan Omach showed Tumwebaze securing 353 votes, representing 40 percent of the 981 ballots cast, while Kakwanzi garnered 277 votes, accounting for 31.4 percent.

Ezra Byakutangaza received 108 votes, equivalent to 12.2 percent, and Daisy Kankiriho Arinda collected 86 votes, equivalent to 9.8 percent. The remaining 10 candidates each scored below 4 percent.

Kakwanzi rejected the results and opted to seek nomination as an independent candidate.