The Electoral Commission (EC) is set to declare the Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development, Phiona Nyamutoro, as the unopposed Woman Member of Parliament for Nebbi District in the 2026 parliamentary elections.
The declaration, scheduled for November 17, 2025, follows an EC ruling that nullified the nomination of National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Mercy Rebecca Abedican.
The ruling, signed on November 13, 2025, by EC chairperson Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama, found that Abedican’s nomination did not satisfy legal requirements after her two seconders, Godfrey Ongiera and Jimmy Bediic, denied signing her endorsement forms.
“The commission, having made the above observation, in its meeting of November 7, 2025, under MIN. COMM 040/2025 resolved that candidate Abedican Mercy Rebecca was not eligible for nomination to contest for Woman Member of Parliament, Nebbi District, since she failed to comply with the said provision of the law,” Justice Byabakama stated.
Nyamutoro had earlier secured a resounding victory in the July NRM primaries, defeating incumbent Agnes Acibu, leaving Abedican as the only remaining challenger in the general election.
In its communication referenced LEG 75/79/01, the EC reversed the Returning Officer’s earlier decision and directed that Nyamutoro be declared elected unopposed.
“Accordingly, the decision of the Returning Officer, Nebbi District, nominating candidate Abedican Mercy Rebecca is hereby reversed and candidate Phiona Nyamutoro is to be declared elected unopposed as Woman Member of Parliament for Nebbi District,” the ruling reads.
The formal declaration will be made in Nebbi District on November 17, 2025.
