The Electoral Commission (EC) has dismissed a petition that sought to disqualify seven parliamentary candidates for the Nakawa West seat, including the incumbent MP Joel Besekezi Ssenyonyi. The petition was filed by lawyer and political aspirant Ivan Bwowe, who argued that the candidates were nominated for a “non-existent constituency” and therefore should be removed from the 2026 race.
According to Bwowe, the correct constituency name is Nakawa Division West, not Nakawa West as appeared on the nomination papers. He further claimed that he was the only candidate who had followed the law and should therefore be declared elected unopposed. In his complaint, he also argued that six of the seven candidates were registered voters under Nakawa Division West, while one candidate was registered in Mbarara North Division, making all of them allegedly ineligible.
However, the Electoral Commission rejected all these arguments. EC Chairperson Justice Byabakama Mugenyi Simon confirmed that the Returning Officer had acted within the law when nominating the seven candidates. In its ruling under MIN. COMP 042/2025, the Commission concluded that the petition “had no merit” and upheld the nomination of all the respondents. Both the Returning Officer and the affected candidates have been officially notified of the decision.
This ruling means that all candidates, including Joel Ssenyonyi, Happy Nasasira, Herbert Anderson Burora, Felix Ephraim Okuye, Vincent Norbert Okumu, Wilberforce Kyambadde, and Rwamiti Apuuli, will proceed to contest in the 2026 parliamentary elections.
Reacting to the decision, incumbent MP Joel Ssenyonyi welcomed the dismissal, saying that political competition should be based on real campaigns rather than legal shortcuts. He urged his opponents to focus on reaching voters on the ground.
The decision by the EC brings clarity to the Nakawa West race, ensuring that all nominated candidates remain on the ballot as Uganda moves closer to the 2026 general elections.
