Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda has demanded that Speaker of Parliament Anita Among explain the delay in swearing-in Elias Nalukoola, the newly elected Member of Parliament for Kawempe North.
This comes after Nalukoola won the hotly contested by-election on March 14, 2025, yet has yet to take the oath of office.
Ssemujju pointed out that other National Resistance Movement (NRM) MPs, such as Michael Mawanda from Igara East, were sworn in the day after being declared winners in by-elections.
"After a by-election, Michael Mawanda (Igara East) was declared a winner, and the following day, he was sworn in. As the head, can you get us to know when Nalukoola will be sworn in? Mawanda was sworn in, in 24 hours?" Ssemujju asked, pressing for a clearer timeline.
Speaker Among responded that the delay was due to the absence of the official gazette, which is necessary to formalize the swearing-in process.
"When a member wins, I wait for the gazette. When I get the gazette, that is when I swear in the member. So I am waiting for the gazette. I need to hear from the Electoral Commission," she explained.
This delay has sparked concerns across Uganda, particularly given the violence that marred the Kawempe by-election.
Security personnel were accused of brutalizing voters, opposition leaders, and journalists, and the NRM, which lost the race, has already vowed to challenge the results in court, citing alleged irregularities.
Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi has expressed frustration over the delay.
"We are dismayed that up to now, the Electoral Commission hasn’t gazetted the person who won the Kawempe North by-election," he said.
We did follow up with the Electoral Commission, and they told us they are still sorting out internal issues. We don’t know what that means because in the past, this process has been done in record time."
The debate intensifies as the contrast with other recent by-elections grows. Last year, Kisoro Woman MP Grace Akifeeza Ngabiraano was sworn in promptly after her by-election victory, fueling further questions about why Nalukoola’s swearing-in has been delayed.
Nalukoola, a candidate from the National Unity Platform (NUP), won the Kawempe North by-election with 17,764 votes, defeating NRM’s Faridah Nambi, who garnered 8,593 votes.
This delay in his swearing-in only adds to the political tension and scrutiny surrounding the Electoral Commission.
EC spoekesperson Julius Mucunguzi could not be readily reached for a comment as his known mobile cell phone number went unanswered while text messages had also not yielded a response by the time of publishing this article.