Members of Parliament (MPs) have strongly criticized the Electoral Commission (EC) for delaying the gazettement of Luyimbazi Elias Nalukoola, the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate who won the recent Kawempe North by-election. The delay has prevented him from being officially sworn in as an MP.
During a plenary sitting on Thursday, Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda raised the issue, pointing out that other newly elected MPs, such as Igara East’s Michael Mawanda, had been sworn in within 24 hours of their election victories. Ssemujju questioned why Nalukoola had yet to be gazetted and sworn in.
“Madam Speaker, may we know when Nalukoola, the Kawempe by-election winner, will be sworn in?” he asked.
In her response, Speaker Anita Among explained that Parliament could only swear in a new MP once the official gazette from the Electoral Commission had been received. She emphasized that the delay was out of Parliament’s hands and she was awaiting the gazette.
This explanation, however, sparked an emotional reaction from Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of the Opposition (LOP). Ssenyonyi expressed dismay at the delay, criticizing the EC for not gazetting the winner promptly. He noted that in previous elections, gazettement had been swift, and called out the EC for its failure to fulfill its responsibilities in this case.
The delay in the gazettement of Nalukoola has raised questions about the Electoral Commission’s processes and its accountability in conducting timely elections. MPs are now calling for swift action to ensure that Nalukoola is officially sworn in as the rightful MP of Kawempe North.
