Faridah Nambi’s Recount Bid Withdrawn Amid Nalukoola’s Gazettement

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Faridah Nambi has withdrawn her application for a vote recount in the recently concluded Kawempe North by-election.

The decision comes after Erias Nalukoola’s gazettement announcement and accusations of foul play with many labeling the move of vote recount as a desperate attempt to undermine the will of the people.

Request to withdraw the application of a vote recount

NRM candidate Nambi Faridah Kigongo had initially filed for a vote recount through her legal team, Atwijukire Dennis Advocates citing alleged irregularities during the March 13, 2025, by-election.

The legal action referenced as MC No. 22/2025, was aimed at challenging the legitimacy of the electoral process claiming that a recount was essential to uphold democratic integrity.

The request to EC for a vote recount

However, the opposition and independent analysts were quick to slam the move pointing out that the application was filed out of time rendering it legally weak.

David Lewis Rubongoya, Secretary General of the National Unity Platform (NUP), minced no words on his  X (twitter) platform.

“Glad that the NRM have withdrawn their application for recounting the Kawempe North by-election votes. The application was dead ab initio as it was ill conceived, without basis and unlawful as it was filed out of time. Hopefully, they can now exercise some shame (if they’re still capable of having any) and let Hon. Nalukoola swear in and embark on his duties. If their strategy is to divert the whole nation and focus it on Kawempe while they continue to loot and plunder, it will certainly fail,” Rubongoya stated.

The Kawempe North by-election has been far from smooth sailing. With claims of voter manipulation, intimidation and administrative loopholes, the demand for a recount reignited Uganda’s ongoing debate about the fairness of its electoral system.

The intensity of this particular contest left the constituency on edge as both camps traded points over the legitimacy of the outcome.

NUP candidate Elias Nalukoola was officially gazetted after an agonizing eleven-day wait. For his supporters, this was a hard-fought victory, but for Kigongo and her supporters, the battle was far from over until now.

For the Electoral Commission (EC), this situation is more than just another electoral dispute. It serves as a crucial litmus test of its commitment to impartiality and transparency.

In recent years, Uganda has witnessed a string of controversial elections, with recounts and legal battles becoming the norm rather than the exception.

Political analysts argue that the EC’s handling of the by-election reflects deep-seated administrative flaws. Delays in gazetting elected candidates coupled with the contentious recount application have only fueled public skepticism.

With the withdrawal of the recount application, the focus now shifts to the swearing-in of Elias Nalukoola and his ability to fulfill his campaign promises.

However, this episode is unlikely to fade quietly into the background. The controversy surrounding the by-election has left a lasting mark with political analysts predicting it could set a precedent for how future electoral disputes are handled in Uganda.