The Parliament of Uganda has suspended the nomination of candidates for the upcoming East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) by-election, just days after setting the process in motion.
In a notice issued by Clerk to Parliament Adolf Mwesige Kasaija, nominations that had been scheduled for 30th and 31st March 2026 were halted “until further notice,” signaling a sudden shift in the timeline for filling Uganda’s two vacant seats in the regional assembly.
The development comes shortly after Speaker Anita Among appointed a 20-member verification committee to oversee the by-election process. The committee, chaired by Herbert Ariko, had been approved by Parliament on Thursday, 26 March, and tasked with scrutinising and vetting candidates in line with the Treaty establishing the East African Community (EAC).
The by-election had been necessitated by the exit of James Kakooza and Denis Namara from EALA after their election to Uganda’s 12th Parliament. Under Article 51(3)(c) of the EAC Treaty, members of the regional assembly must vacate their seats upon election or nomination to a national parliament.
Speaker Among had earlier confirmed that the by-election would take place on 15 April 2026, insisting that the process could only be halted by a contrary communication from EALA or a court order.
However, the timeline has been contested by several legislators. Patrick Nsamba questioned the legality of conducting the by-election before the swearing-in of the 12th Parliament, while Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi argued that Kakooza and Namara are not yet officially MPs until they take oath.
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka acknowledged the concerns, noting that an election is a process rather than a single event and may not be complete until all stages, including swearing-in, are concluded. He indicated that consultations with EALA officials in Arusha would be necessary to clarify the legal position.
The suspension of nominations now adds further uncertainty to the process, even as the verification committee remains in place awaiting fresh guidance.
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