JEEMA Demands Justice After Violence On Journalists in Kawempe

The Justice Forum (JEEMA) has condemned the violence that marred the recently concluded Kawempe North by-election, accusing security forces of voter intimidation and brutality.

In a statement, JEEMA spokesperson Swaib Kaggwa Nsereko congratulated MP-elect Elias Nalukoola on his victory but expressed concerns over the integrity of the electoral process.

“We acknowledge the immense challenges faced during the election. We thank JEEMA members in Kawempe North who supported Nalukoola, as well as all voters who braved state-sponsored threats to exercise their constitutional right,” he stated.

He highlighted voter suppression as a major concern, citing low turnout figures, with only 26,000 out of 190,000 registered voters participating. The party attributed this to widespread intimidation.

Nsereko also condemned security forces for unleashing violence, which affected both voters and journalists covering the election.

“The brutality perpetrated by security personnel not only influenced voting patterns but also posed a serious threat to democracy and human rights,” he said.

He called for government accountability, urging authorities to investigate the violence, hold perpetrators responsible, and compensate victims. Nsereko also demanded electoral reforms to prevent future incidents.

Meanwhile, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has announced plans to challenge the by-election results.

The final tally, released on Friday morning, declared Nalukoola the winner, defeating NRM’s Faridah Nambi.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday, NRM Secretary-General Richard Todwong revealed that the party’s Central Executive Committee (CEC) held an emergency meeting and resolved to contest the outcome, citing election irregularities.

“We are dissatisfied with the results, and CEC has instructed our legal team to challenge them in court,” Todwong stated.

NRM accused supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) of orchestrating violence at several polling stations.

The party also criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for allegedly disenfranchising over 50,000 voters by canceling results from multiple polling stations, claiming this unfairly influenced the election outcome