EC sets March 13th for Kawempe North by-election

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Electoral Commission (EC) has set Thursday, 13th March 2025 as the polling day for the Kawempe North by-election. Justice Simon Byabakama, the Electoral Commission Chairperson made the announcement on Monday morning at Tick Hotel, Kawempe, during a stakeholder meeting that included local leaders, political leaders, political party representatives, and police officers.

The by-election follows the death of the area Member of Parliament, Muhammad Ssegirinya, on January 9th, 2025. According to the roadmap for the by-election and the City Division Directly-elected Councilor for Kazo-Angola Ward, the Electoral Commission will conduct update the Voters’ Register for Kawempe North from January 27th, to January 31st, 2025, ahead of the polling date.

Byabakama noted that the electoral body will conduct a recruitment of officials and display the Voters’ Register from Friday January 31st, 2025 to February 1st, 2025, and thereafter, display the lists of recruited officials at the Office of the Returning Officer, Kampala and EC offices in Kawempe Division.

The Display of the Voters’ Register at polling stations in Kawempe North will be conducted to February 10th to Feb 19th, and later nomination of candidates at the Office of the Returning Officer on February 26th to 27th, 2025. The campaign period is scheduled to start on Feb 28th to  March 11th, 2025 and the issuance of the Voting Location Slips (VLS) within the awards will also happen from Feb 28th to 13th March, 2025.

Byabakama says that the training of the polling day officials, tally clerks, political party candidates’ agents and issuance of appointment letters will take place between March 10th and 11th, 2025, before the polling day for the Member of Parliament and City Division Councilor, Kazo-Angola A, in Kazo-Angola Ward. The Electoral program follows a letter written to the Electoral Commission on January 15th 2025 by the Clerk to Parliament, Adolf Mwesige notifying them about a vacancy for Kawempe North Constituency Member of Parliament.

In the letter, the Clerk to Parliament requested the Commission to organize and conduct a by-election to fill the vacancy so that the people of Kawempe North can be represented in Parliament, following the death of the area MP. “In writing and notifying the Electoral Commission, the Clerk to Parliament acted by Clause 2 of Article 81 of the Constitution. The Commission is going to plan and prepare to conduct a by-election and ensure that the law, as it requires is effected,” Julius Mucunguzi, the EC Spokesperson then said.

Section 3 (1) of the Parliamentary Election Act, 2005 provides that whenever a Member of Parliament dies, or when the seat of a Member of Parliament becomes vacant, the Clerk to Parliament shall notify the Commission in writing within 10 days after the vacancy has occurred; and a by-election shall be held within 60 days after the vacancy has occurred.

Ssegirinya died on Thursday, January 9th, 2025 at Lubaga Hospital after battling a long illness. Parliament held a Special Sitting in which, a resolution was passed in his honor. He was laid to rest  in Butale village, Masaka district. Before and after his death, several Ugandans continue to express interest in Ssegirinya’s seat, including his widow and former Personal Assistant.

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