The legal team representing Faridah Nambi Kingongo, who is challenging the election of Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) MP Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola, has declined to cross-examine three key witnesses in the ongoing court petition.
The witnesses, Kampala Returning Officer Henry Makabayi, George William Mawumbe, and Nathan Jemba had been presented as part of the defence in the case filed by Nambi, who ran on the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket.
The petition, currently before Justice Bernard Namanya of the High Court sitting at Twed Towers in Kampala, seeks to overturn the election of Hon. Nalukoola as Member of Parliament for Kawempe North following the March 13 by-election.
In the session held on Thursday, MP Nalukoola took to the dock to begin his defence.
Although much was anticipated during his cross-examination, Nambi’s legal team, led by Advocate Ahmed Kalule, questioned him only briefly before moving on to other witnesses.
Kalule informed the court that the team would not be cross-examining the three named witnesses.
The defence described this move as a sign of weakness in the petitioner’s case.
One of the witnesses, Nathan Jemba, is alleged to have printed and circulated photos of a NUP supporter and Kawempe councilor distributing food items to residents on polling day, an act that the petitioner claims constitutes voter bribery.
Nalukoola was declared the winner of the by-election by the Electoral Commission, having secured 17,764 votes.
However, the official gazette later recorded his total as 17,939 votes.
His challenger, Faridah Nambi, initially received 8,593 votes, which were later revised to 9,058 in the gazette.
The case continues as both sides present their arguments and await the court’s decision.
By Alex Magala
16th May 2025
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