KAMPALA, UGANDA — Erias Nalukoola Luyimbazi, a prominent Kampala lawyer, has been chosen as the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate for the upcoming Kawempe North by-election scheduled to take place on March 13, 2025. The decision was announced today by the NUP Election Management Committee at the party headquarters in Kavule, Makerere.
Luyimbazi emerged victorious after a competitive process that included a public debate featuring ten aspiring candidates. The debate, moderated by legal experts, provided a platform for each candidate to present their vision for the constituency.
The by-election was necessitated by the passing of the incumbent MP, Muhammad Ssegirinya, on January 9th.
Luyimbazi, formerly the legal advisor for the Democratic Party (DP), recently resigned from his position due to disagreements with the party’s cooperation agreement with the National Resistance Movement (NRM). He expressed concerns about the ethical and procedural implications of this agreement, stating that it was executed without the approval of the party’s governing bodies.
While announcing the outcomes of the vetting process, the party chairperson of the election management committee, Mercy Walukamba, said that Counsel Nalukoola scored 71.4 percent, and in second position was Magala Umaru with 52.8 percent, and in third position was Luwemba Mohammed with 28.8 percent.
“After doing thorough vetting, we are glad to announce that Councilor Erias Nalukoola Luyimbazi is the official party flag bearer for the Kawempe North by-election,” Walukamba said.
Luyimbazi, while giving his acceptance speech, acknowledged the huge challenge that awaited him given the reputation of his predecessor, the late Mohammed Ssegirinya.
“This is a big test, and as I take on this challenge, I want to request all the people I have been contesting with in this race and all party members to work with me so that we can achieve more together,” Luyimbazi said.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) party president, Robert Kyagulanyi, has commended all candidates who participated in the selection process, praising them for demonstrating political maturity.
However, he urged party members to rally behind Luyimbazi as the party’s chosen candidate to ensure a decisive victory in the upcoming Kawempe North by-election.
“Now we have one candidate, and let us go and mobilize. Let’s embark on the Kawempe north campaigns and win by over 90 percent,” Kyagulanyi said.
He further stated that the by-election serves as a strategic test for the 2026 general elections, presenting an opportunity for the party to reaffirm its dominance ahead of the polls.
NUP’s Secretary General, Lewis Rubongoya, highlighted that the selection process for the party’s flag bearer was conducted transparently and fairly.
“We had 10 candidates, and they all went through vetting by the Election Management Committee. They were interviewed by the EMC, where they were graded out of 40%, participated in the debate to account for 10%, and then the team went on the ground, and they were awarded 50%,” Rubongoya said.
Luyimbazi will be facing competition from other candidates, including FDC’s Mukiibi Sadat, also known as Khalifa Aganaga, NRM’s Faridah Nambi, independent aspirant Hajjat Hanifah Karadi, and contenders from other political parties yet to announce their nominees.
