The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Luweero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A voter in Luwero district has petitioned the High Court in Kampala demanding for nullification of the election of Robert Ssekitoleko, the Bamunanika County MP Elect.
The incumbent MP and State Minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo lost his re-election bid to Ssekitoleko of National Unity Platform. Muyingo has served the constituency for 10 years.
Ssekitoleko who was Muyingo’s former campaign manager obtained 27,850 votes defeating Muyingo who scored 24,463 votes. Others in the race who include Ronald Muyingo (Independent) got 1,424 votes, Moses Matovu (ANT) got 483 votes and Alex Kalyesubula (FDC) scored 422 votes.
Minister Muyingo and other contestants conceded defeat before pledging to support Ssekitoleko after the victory.
However, Christopher Matabi a resident of Nalongo village in Bamunanika Sub County and a voter at Kiteme Church of Uganda polling station through Byamugisha and Company advocates has petitioned the court demanding nullification of Ssekitoleko’s win accusing him of voter bribery.
Ssekitoleko is jointly sued along with the Electoral Commission which Matabi accuses of failure to organize free and fair elections.
In his petition Matabi, a rider accuses Ssekitoleko of bribing voters before and on polling day at villages of Buyondo, Sekamuli, Kalagala and Gayaza. Matabi said that Ssekitoleko bribed the voters with 10,000 -200,000 shillings to vote for him.
Matabi also accuses the Electoral Commission of failure to conduct elections in a free and fair manner citing polling stations where results allegedly didn’t match the registered voters. Some of the listed polling stations are Busiika UMEA A-Z, Busiika NAL-Z and Giliyada polling. Matabi says that the incorrect summation led to the loss of MP Muyingo who was the rightful winner of the parliamentary race.
Ssekitoleko and the Electoral Commission have five-seven days to file the defense.
Ssekitoleko says that he was served with the petition on Monday this week and tasked his lawyers to prepare a defence.
Ssekitoleko denied the accusations and instead criticized Minister Muyingo for being behind the petition to reclaim the seat.
Minister Muyingo didn’t pick or return calls to explain on allegations that he is behind the case. In Luwero district, the election of two other MPs elect Denes Sekabira for Katikamu North and Hassan Kirumira for Katikamu North were also challenged on allegations of voter bribery. Sekabira was challenged by his arch-rival Gaddafi Nasur who was the NRM candidate in the parliamentary race.
Sekabira of the National Unity Platform scored 18,717 votes defeating Nasur who obtained 10,771 votes and Ronald Ndawula (Independent) who got 7,006 votes among other contestants.
In Katikamu South MP-elect Kirumira has been challenged by NRM’s candidate Patricia Magara who came third in the race. Kirumira scored 21,197 votes beating Alfred Muwanga who got 9,798 votes and Magara came third with 8,132 whereas incumbent MP Edward Ssembatya obtained only 1,659 votes.
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