Kawempe North By-Election: NUP Candidate Elias Nalukoola Arrested after Nomination
Elias Nalukoola, the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate for the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election, has been arrested by security operatives shortly after his nomination. Nalukoola is reportedly being held at Kawempe Police Station on charges yet to be disclosed.
His arrest comes on the first day of nominations for candidates seeking to replace the late Kawempe North MP, Muhammad Ssegirinya. Earlier in the day, Nalukoola had told journalists that one of his agents had been abducted and that his official nomination documents had been stolen. Despite this setback, he managed to submit his papers and secure his candidacy.
The by-election has already sparked political controversy, with candidates from Uganda’s two biggest parties—NUP and the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM)—defying their respective party positions to contest as independents.
NUP’s Luwemba Lusswa Muhammed and NRM’s Hanifa Karadi Murerwa have gone against their party directives and were nominated as independent candidates, despite warnings that they could face disciplinary action, including suspension.
Luwemba, a former personal assistant to the late Ssegirinya, argued that he deserved the NUP flag but was rejected by the party leadership. NUP instead chose Nalukoola as its official flagbearer after an internal debate among contenders. Luwemba, however, insists he is still a member of NUP and is only running independently because he believes he was unfairly sidelined.
On the NRM side, Karadi has challenged the endorsement of Faridah Nambi, daughter of NRM’s National Vice Chairman, Hajj Moses Kigongo, as the party’s official candidate. Karadi claims the party’s nomination process was fraudulent and unfairly favored Nambi due to her family connections. She declared her independent candidacy in protest.
Nambi, however, has dismissed the allegations, saying the party followed the correct procedures and that internal mechanisms exist to address any grievances.
The arrest of Nalukoola has heightened tensions in an already heated by-election race, raising concerns over fairness and political interference. NUP leaders and supporters have condemned the arrest, demanding his immediate release.
The Kawempe North by-election is set to take place on March 13, 2025, with the race shaping up to be a test of party loyalty, internal democracy, and political influence in the capital’s opposition stronghold.
