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National Unity Platform (NUP) President Bobi Wine has declared that his party is ready for another election following the Kampala High Court’s decision to nullify Elias Nalukoola’s victory as Member of Parliament for Kawempe Division North.
Speaking Monday in Northern Uganda, Bobi Wine said despite the setback, they were determined to return to the voters and win once again.
“What Judge Namaya has done does not stop us. We are, of course, going to appeal, but the Court of Appeal can also be unjust, but we are more than happy to go to the people of Kawempe once again,” he said.
“They said it once, they will say it again and again. We are confident that the people elected Nalukoola, and they will elect him again and again.”
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Bobi Wine Condemns Judicial Ruling, Citing Political Interference
In a strong reaction to the court’s ruling, the NUP President criticised the judgment as a sign of deep-rooted corruption within Uganda’s political and judicial systems.
“It is unfortunate that Judge Namaya counselled the election of Nalukoola. That goes to show you the rottenness of this regime,” he said.
“You remember when Nalukoola won, it took a lot of pressure to announce him, even when he won at all polling stations.”
“Even gazetting him took a lot of pressure, and swearing him in parliament was done unprecedentedly in the office of the speaker. This shows you how much our institutions have been muzzled.”
He accused the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) of deploying violence and spending heavily to secure the Kawempe North seat.
However, Bobi Wine maintained that the people’s desire for change prevailed.
“A lot of violence took place, and a lot of money was spent, but we still beat him,” he said.
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Court Cites Voter Disenfranchisement and Illegal Campaigning
The nullification followed a petition filed by Nambi Faridah Kigongo, who alleged that Nalukoola campaigned on election day at polling stations, violating the Parliamentary Elections Act.
The petition also accused the Electoral Commission of failing to secure the voting process, properly count votes, safeguard electoral materials, and transmit results transparently.
Justice Namanya found that approximately 16,640 voters, including Nambi, were disenfranchised when their ballots were destroyed and never counted.
This, he ruled, materially affected the election outcome. Nalukoola’s illegal campaigning on polling day at Mbogo Primary School Playground and other locations was also a key factor in the decision.
NUP Ready to Appeal and Confident of Victory
Bobi Wine told reporters, nonetheless, that the court ruling would not stop their campaign for change.
“He might nullify the election, but he cannot change the minds of the people of Uganda, and he cannot stop them from wanting change,” he said.
The NUP plans to appeal the High Court’s decision, but is also prepared to face the electorate again.
“We are more than happy to go to the people of Kawempe once again. They said it once, they will say it again and again,” Bobi Wine declared