Bunyangabu parliamentary seat contestant has election petition withdrawn

Fort Portal, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A former contestant for the Bunyangabu County Member of Parliament seat has withdrawn an election petition against his rival Davis Kamukama.

Kamukama who was contesting on the NRM party ticket defeated Murungi Patrick Zeresire and seven others in January’s parliamentary elections. Kamukama polled 31,353 votes while Zeresire got 2,262 votes.

In his petition filed at Fort Portal High Court, Murungi claimed that Kamukama did not possess the required academic credentials when he was nominated by the Electoral Commission-EC. According to Murungi, Kamukama lacked Senior Six certificate or its equivalent.

Appearing before the court on Tuesday presided over by Justice Jesse Byaruhanga, Murungi’ s lawyer Robert Mugabe announced that his client wanted to withdraw the petition. Mugabe told the court that Murungi had lost interest in the petition.

Justice Byaruhanga allowed withdrawal of the case and told each party to bear its own costs so far incurred in the petition.

Kamukama said that the withdraw is a relief to his political work and legal team.

The High Court in Fort Portal has also fixed September 1 as the date when it will hear a petition filed against the Ntoroko District Woman MP Anna Mary Tumwine. Her rival Jennifer Mujungu accuses Tumwine of rigging the elections.

Mujungu’s lawyer Caleb Alaka says that they will challenge all the 21 affidavits presented by Tumwine.

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