Africa-Press – Uganda. Supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) in Masaka City on Thursday staged a protest following a court decision that nullified the election of Rose Nalubowa as Woman Member of Parliament.
Nalubowa had earlier been declared the winner by the Electoral Commission. However, her victory was overturned by Justice Abert Asiimwe, sparking discontent among her supporters.
Carrying placards calling for justice and transparency, the protesters accused the judiciary of mishandling the case. They particularly raised concerns over the involvement of Justice Simon Peter Kinobe, alleging that he has past political ties to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
The supporters claim they had requested Justice Kinobe to recuse himself from the matter over concerns of a potential conflict of interest, but their request was declined.
“Justice Kinobe participated in the 2021 elections on the NRM ticket and was assigned to handle our case. We could not accept that because we believe it raises questions about impartiality,” said Lubowa Ssebina Javiira, the Member of Parliament-elect for Nyendo-Mukungwe.
Masaka NUP Coordinator Florence Namayanja said the party is preparing to pursue further legal action, insisting that Nalubowa’s victory was unfairly overturned.
“We have gathered sufficient evidence to support our petition in the High Court, and we are confident that justice will prevail,” Namayanja said.
Speaking to the media, Nalubowa defended her decision to continue challenging the ruling, saying her legal team raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest that were not addressed.
“We raised concerns about conflict of interest, but our request was not considered,” Nalubowa said, adding that she remains confident that the High Court will deliver a fair outcome.
The protest underscores growing political tensions in Masaka City following the disputed election outcome, as NUP supporters vow to continue pressing for what they describe as electoral justice.
