KAMPALA, Uganda The National Resistance Movement candidate in the concluded Kawempe North by-election, Faridah Nambi, has accused the winner, Nalukoola Luyimbazi, of bribing her witnesses and persuading them to retract the statements they had given in support of her petition.

During the case hearing today at the Civil Division of the High Court, Nambi, through her lawyers, led by Ahmed Kalule, told the court they have issues with three affidavits made by Nalukoola in response to or while defending the accusations against him.

Justice Bernard Namanya heard that Ben Mukasa Ntale, Mawumbe George William, and Nathan Jjemba Muwanguzi were previously supporting Nambi’s petition to show how Nalukoola was bribing the voters in several polling stations, but they have now changed what they said. On April 9th, 2025, they swore affidavits in support of the petition, which they filed in court on behalf of NRM’s Nambi.

They were then approached by Nalukoola’s lawyers, and Ben Mukasa Ntale swore affidavits in support of Nalukoola’s defence instead, saying that their signatures had reportedly been forged and that some had been coerced to support Nambi’s application.

Kalule further told the judge that the conduct of approaching her clients’ witnesses and making them retract is unlawful and is contrary to Rule 19 of the Advocates’ Professional Conduct.

Kalule furthermore asked the court to strike out the affidavits sworn in retraction, emphasising that it is wrong and unprofessional for the party to approach the other party’s witnesses and then tell witnesses to retract their affidavits because they infringe on the right to defence.

However, lawyer Muhammed Mbabazi, who leads lawyers of Nalukoola, said punishing all the lawyers would be unfair as they don’t go on the ground to hunt for witnesses but were brought to them. which Justice Namanya told him not to focus on the punishments but on the accusations against him.

Nalukoola’s lawyer, George Musisi, informed the court that their client has six more affidavits to file.

There is some information in possession of the Electoral Commission that they seek to rely on in this petition. Musisi noted that they have requested 35 copies of declaration forms from the Commission, which they paid for on April 4th, 2025, as well as the voters’ register used in the election.

Justice Bernard Namanya adjourned the matter to Monday, May 5th, 2025, for Nalukoola’s lawyers to make a response to the accusations made by Nambi.

The Electoral Commission gazetted Nalukoola Luyimbazi of the National Unity Platform as the winner of the March 13th 2025 elections with 17,939 votes against NRM’s Faridah Nambi’s 9,058 votes.

Nambi was not satisfied with the results and decided to petition the Civil Division of the High court seeking court to nullify the results and order electoral commission to conduct a fresh election

“At Mbogo Primary School Playground (KAT MAJ) polling station, the 1st Respondent (Nalukoola) campaigned among voters who turned up to vote at that polling station by chanting his political party slogan “People Power, Our Power” and telling voters to vote for him. He told the voters lined up to vote that yenze Nalukoola, loosely translated as “it’s me Nalukoola”, Nambi’s petition reads