KAMPALA- The Electoral Commission (EC) has responded to mounting criticism regarding the delay in swearing in the newly elected Member of Parliament for Kawempe North, Elias Nalukoola Luyimbazi, emphasizing that the process is within the legal framework.
The Electoral Commission spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi told journalists today morning and addressed the situation asserting that the Commission is still operating within the legally prescribed timelines to gazette National Unity Platform’s Nalukoola.
“The law and specifically Section 58 and Section 59 of the Parliamentary Elections Act stipulate the time frame within which the commission has to gazette results of any election or by-election,” Mucunguzi said.
“Section 58 speaks to the fact that the returning officer has got seven days within which to submit a report to the commission after the conclusion of an election and thereafter the commission has got 48 hours to publish and gazette the results of that particular election or by-election.”
With the election on March 13th 2024, the Returning Officer Henry Makabayi has until close of business today to submit the results to Electoral Commission.
The ‘delay’ in Nalukoola’s swearing-in, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition figures and even Members of Parliament who raised questions about the speed and efficiency of the Electoral Commission.
This comes after Kira Municipality Member of Parliament Hon Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda yesterday demanded that Speaker of Parliament Rt Hon Anita Among explain the delay in swearing-in Elias Nalukoola who was recently elected as Kawempe North Member of Parliament.
Nalukoola won the hotly contested by-election on March 14th 2025, yet he has not taken the oath of office and Hon Ssemujju pointed out that other National Resistance Movement MPs, such as Hon Michael Mawanda from Igara East, were sworn in the day after being declared winners in by-elections.
Speaker Among responded that the delay was due to the absence of the official gazette, which is necessary to formalize the swearing-in process and need to hear from the Electoral Commission.
This delay has sparked concerns across Uganda, particularly given the violence that marred the Kawempe by-election and this comes after security personnel were accused of brutalizing voters, opposition leaders, and journalists and the NRM, which lost the race, has already vowed to challenge the results in court, citing alleged irregularities.
