NEBBI. State Minister for Energy Ms Phiona Nyamutoro has a reason to celebrated after the Electoral Commission declared her unopposed Woman Member of Parliament for Nebbi District .
This came after EC nullified the nomination of her rival, Mercy Rebecca Abedican of National Unity Platform (NUP).
The decision was issued in a letter dated November 13, 2025 and signed by the EC Chairperson, Justice Simon Mugenyi Byabakama.
It follows a successful petition filed on November 4, 2025 by Signature Advocates challenging the validity of Abedican’s nomination which prompted the Commission to conduct an interparties hearing on November 7, 2025.
During the hearing, the EC indicates that it examined affidavits submitted by two individuals, Godfrey Ongiera and Jimmy Bediic, who claimed that Ms Abedican, the NUP ‘s flag bearer had presented their particulars and forged their signatures as supporters for her nomination.
Both men appeared before the commission and reportedly vehemently denied endorsing her.
According to EC, Ongiera further informed the commission that he is a registered member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) which gave Ms Nyamutoro the flag, and therefore, could not have supported a candidate sponsored by the NUP.
The Commission stated that despite being given an opportunity to respond, Ms Abedican failed to provide convincing evidence to counter their claims of forgery.
After analysing the evidence brought before the Commission, it (EC) established that Abedican did not meet the legal requirement under Section 28(1)(c) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, which mandates every parliamentary candidate to present at least 10 registered voters from the district as nominators.
Now that the signatures of Abedican fell short of the required number, this rendered her ineligible for nomination.
Accordingly, the Commission resolved under MIN. COMM 040/2025 that she had failed to comply with the law, and subsequently reversed the decision of the Nebbi District Returning Officer who had earlier nominated her.
As a result of this nullification, Ms Nyamutoro, the State Minister for Energy who remained the only duly nominated candidate for the Nebbi Woman MP seat, has been declared elected unopposed.
“Accordingly, the decision of the Returning Officer, Nebbi District, nominating Candidate Abedican Mercy Rebecca is hereby reversed and candidate Phiona Nyamutoro is to be declared elected unopposed as a Woman Member of Parliament for Nebbi District”, wrote Byabakama.
The EC has communicated its decision to the Nebbi District Returning Officer and to Ms Abedican. The declaration secures Nyamutoro’s position in Parliament, pending gazettement of the final results.
The Electoral Commission Spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi previously told this reporter that gazettement has to happen after the date of elections for parliamentary candidates on January 15, 2025 as before that, the Commission is always still handling complaints arising from the nomination exercise.
Ms Nyamutoro who is the wife of musician Edirisa Musuza aka Eddy Kenzo now joins the list of more than 16 Members of Parliament who are all NRM-leaning that have so far been declared unopposed to be members of the 12th Parliament.
These including the Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among (Bukedea Woman MP), her Deputy Thomas Tayebwa (Mitooma County legislator).
The decision in Nyamutoro’s case is one of the more than 100 petitions/complaints that were registered by the Electoral Commission arising from the October 22nd and 23rd 2025 Parliamentary Election nomination exercise.