President Museveni breaks silence on the recent Kawempe North by-elections

17 March 2025, 9:50 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, who also doubles as the national chairperson of the national resistance movement (NRM) party, yesterday, came out and stated various reasons why his party did not win the just concluded Kawempe North Constituency by-election held on 13th, March,2025. In a letter dedicated to all Ugandans, Museveni said that there are allegations that have come up due to what transpired during the by-election.

“In this piece am writing to inform you that an electoral and criminal investigation has started in the Kawempe North by-election. The following allegations that have come up, ballot papers stuffing, altering results, destroying ballot boxes in kazo-Angola, Mbogo Mosque zone etc, Apparently, some people did not want those votes to be counted, campaigning at the polling stations, violence etc.” He said.

The president added that the heavy deployment of security forces may have stopped mass violence but it could not stop the micro crimes that should have been managed by the election officials. “Some people really miscalculate, to think that you can commit such crimes against the laws. We shall hold everybody responsible accountable. These who intimidate NRM supporters must stop and apologize.” He said.

According to the president, Ballot-stuffing has been going on since 1961 and that is how Uganda ended up being unstable. “Leaders do not concentrate on solving people’s problems because they know they can cheat and be in power whether the people support them or not. This must stop. This is why we are insisting on only bio-metric verification. No body else who is not bio-metrically verified will vote. I hope all the Ugandans who want peace will support this. It must be one person, one vote. Somebody was arrested with 18 ballot papers.” He said in a letter.

“The NRM people must not involve themselves in cheating by saying that the opposition is doing it, they must also do it. Work no crush that disenfranchisement of the Ugandan people. That is why NRM went to the bush.” Museveni said. The president went on and posed some questions: “Who organized the Kabaka riots of September 10th to 12th 2009? Who organized the 2020 riots of November 18th to 20th? Where people were killed, NRM women were undressed, policemen were attacked? Where was the army in all that?

“I deployed the commandos on the 20th of November and they crushed the insurrection. Who organized the panga groups in Masaka? Who destroyed the ballot boxes if 50 polling stations out of 197 polling stations in Kawempe North? You have been inviting the NRM to attend to you. We shall do exactly that. Army is diverted to deal with crowds because of the indiscipline of some opposition groups.” He stated. About the attacks on journalists by some security Personnel while doing their work, the president said that they are studying it.

It should be remembered that since various incidents happened during the Kawempe North by-election, the public have been demanding government to give reasons why all this happened the way it did. Ten people participated, some independent and some from different political party. Nalukoola Erias of National Unity Platform (NUP) Party, was declared winner by the returning officer of Kampala district Henry Makabayi. And Engena Edward Stanley, independent, was the last with close to 30 votes. Recently the NRM secretary general told Journalists that they are going to challenge the results in court.