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Faridah Nambi, the NRM candidate in the last Kawempe North by-election, suffered another setback in the petition she filed challenging the election results.
The Kampala High Court ruled today to allow witnesses who initially supported Nambi’s election petition to now testify against her.
Nambi’s legal team had tried to prevent the witnesses from taking the stand, claiming that they had been illegally co-opted by the lawyers of the respondent, Mr Luyimbazi Erias Nalukoola
During the preliminary hearing of her petition, it emerged that some of Nambi’s witnesses had changed their stance and now wished to retract their earlier testimonies.
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These witnesses approached the legal team of her opponent, Nalukola, expressing their desire to testify against Nambi, alleging that violence during the election was caused by her team and supporters.
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Witnesses Claim Coercion
Muhammad Mbabazi, one of Nalukoola, welcomed today’s ruling, telling reporters that it opened up their chances in the petition.
“This means that all the witnesses who came out to denounce Mrs Nambi’s lies remain intact.”
According to Mbabazi, the witnesses had been forced to testify in support of Nambi’s petition, and now, they were coming forward to denounce it. He believes that their testimonies are crucial for the investigation into the election’s legitimacy, particularly regarding the alleged violence and illegalities.
In contrast, Nambi’s legal team had tried to block the witnesses from taking the stand, arguing that their statements were manipulated by Nalukola’s team. However, the court upheld the decision to allow them to testify.
Election Petition Challenges Continue
The ongoing election petition filed by Nambi challenges the victory of Elias Nalukoola Luyimbazi in the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election.
Nambi has cited multiple irregularities, including campaigning on polling day, failure to ensure a secure voting environment, and voter bribery, as reasons for the petition.