Court of Appeal concludes hearing of election appeals

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Court of Appeal has concluded the hearing of election appeals. The court received 84 election appeals arising from the 2021 elections and subsequent High Court decisions.

According to the Judiciary public relations officer Jameson Karemani, five cases have been disposed of in the sessions that started on March 21, 2022, and the justices of the appellant court have now retired to write respective judgements which will be delivered on notice.

The cases that have already been disposed of include the Nakawa West appeal which confirmed Joel Ssenyonyi as the duly elected MP, as well as those filed against Bbaale constituency MP Charles Tebandeke, Nansana Municipality MP Wakayima Musoke, Kawempe North MP Muhammad Ssegirinya, and Terego East MP Mario Obiga Kania.

Notable among the pending appeals is a case arising from Ngora County where David Abala, one the contestants insists that although he was declared the winner of the polls, the returning officer made a second declaration after a few days handing the victory to his opponent Juliet Achayo Lodou.

The other is Christopher Komakech who is challenging the decision by the Gulu High Court to remove him from Parliament for failing to follow the proper procedure while resigning from public service ahead of the elections.  Komakech’s victory as Aruu South MP was challenged by his rival Odonga Otto.

Also awaited is the appeal filed by Joyce Bagala Ntwatwa challenging the decision by Mubende High Court Judge Emmanuel Baguma to nullify her victory as Mityana Woman Member of Parliament. She was accused of bribing voters, in a case filed by Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba.

Others include the appeal by Soroti East MP Moses Okia Attan who is challenging the nullification of his victory over issues related to the demarcation of boundaries by the Electoral Commission and the appeal by Christine Ndiwalana Nandagire who was thrown out of parliament for lack of academic qualifications.

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