By Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi has dismissed claims by lawyer and parliamentary aspirant Ivan Bwowe that he and six other candidates were wrongly nominated for the Nakawa West parliamentary seat.
Ssenyonyi appeared before the Electoral Commission (EC) tribunal on Monday, November 10, 2025, responding to Bwowe’s petition, which was filed on Thursday, November 6. The petition argues that the candidates filed their papers for “Nakawa West,” a constituency name Bwowe says is not legally recognized, instead of “Nakawa Division West Constituency.”
Speaking to reporters shortly after the tribunal session, Ssenyonyi dismissed the petition as a publicity stunt. “The nomination forms clearly show Nakawa Division West, Kampala District. There is only one Nakawa West, and there is no confusion,” he said.
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He added that under the legal principle de minimis non curat lex, the law does not concern itself with minor or technical errors. “This petition is clearly aimed at gaining media attention rather than addressing any substantive legal issue,” Ssenyonyi said.
Bwowe’s petition seeks to have Ssenyonyi, journalist Miles Rwamiti, former Resident City Commissioner Herbert Anderson, and others disqualified. Bwowe contends that while he was nominated for Nakawa Division West Constituency, the others applied for “Nakawa West,” which he claims is not legally recognized or gazetted by the EC for the 2025–2026 electoral cycle.
In his affidavit, Bwowe stated: “The nominations of the respondents are null and void ab initio because they applied to contest in an electoral area not provided for under the law.” He attached electoral maps, voter information, and certified nomination forms to support his claim, noting that one of the respondents is not even a registered voter in Nakawa Division West.
Bwowe wants the EC to declare “Nakawa West” non-existent, nullify all nominations under that name, and recognize him as the only validly nominated candidate. If granted, he would automatically become Member of Parliament-elect under Section 19(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, 2005, which allows for unopposed election when only one valid candidate is nominated.
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