A Political Firestorm Erupts in Nakawa: Does This Constituency Even Exist?
Kampala is buzzing with controversy as a heated nomination dispute threatens to upend the race for Nakawa Division West. At the center of the storm is candidate Bwowe Ivan, who has filed a bold petition with the Electoral Commission (EC), claiming that seven of his rivals were unlawfully nominated to contest in a constituency that, according to him, doesn’t legally exist: Nakawa West.
In a sworn affidavit dated November 6, 2025, Bwowe argues that only Nakawa Division West is officially recognized and gazetted by the EC for the upcoming 2025–2026 electoral cycle. He asserts that the other seven aspirants—Happy Nasasira, Herbert Anderson Burora, Felix Ephraim Okuye, Vincent Norbert Okumu, Joel Besekezi Ssenyonyi, Wilberforce Kyambadde, and Apuuli Rwamiti—were nominated in a phantom constituency.
“I’ve reviewed certified copies of their nomination papers, which clearly show they applied to stand for ‘Nakawa West,’ an electoral area that has no legal standing,” Bwowe stated in his affidavit, sworn before Commissioner for Oaths Nampeera Juliet.
To bolster his case, Bwowe included copies of his own EC-confirmed nomination, along with certified nomination forms and voter information of the seven respondents. He’s demanding the EC declare four key points:
- “Nakawa West” does not legally exist.
- The nominations of the seven respondents are invalid and void.
- He is the sole validly nominated candidate for Nakawa Division West.
- He should be declared unopposed under Section 19(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, 2005.
But here’s where it gets controversial...
One of the respondents, Herbert Anderson Burora, fired back on social media, dismissing Bwowe’s claims as baseless. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Burora wrote, “Gwe sebo Byoya sorry @BwoweIvan olimba. You’ll have to campaign and earn votes, or you’ll end up as number 8.”
Burora didn’t hold back, accusing Bwowe of trying to “eat from where you have not worked” and insisting that all nominations were verified and stamped by the EC. “Does it make sense for the EC to nominate candidates in a non-existent constituency?” he asked rhetorically. “If the EC verified and acknowledged these nominations, it clearly recognized the constituency’s existence.”
Burora even suggested Bwowe should take the EC to court for nominating candidates in a non-existent area, rather than targeting his fellow contestants.
And this is the part most people miss...
This dispute has ratcheted up political tensions in Nakawa, one of Kampala’s most fiercely contested divisions. With multiple candidates from major parties vying for the seat, the stakes are higher than ever. The EC has yet to issue an official response to Bwowe’s petition, which was received and stamped by its Security Registry on November 6.
As the drama unfolds, one question lingers: Is this a legitimate legal challenge or a strategic move to eliminate the competition? What do you think? Is Bwowe’s petition a valid concern, or is Burora right to call it baseless? Let us know in the comments below—this debate is far from over!
