Court orders a by-election for Busia LC5 Chairperson seat

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | The Court of Appeal has thrown Busia District LCV chairman Ouma Adea, out of office on grounds that he is unfit to hold public office having been convicted of corruption 6 years ago.

Three Justices Remmy Kasule , Kenneth Kakuru and Geoffrey Kiryabwire unanimously concurred with Mbale High Court Judge Andrew Basaija that Section 46 of the Anti-Corruption Act bars Ouma Adea from holding public office, his conviction having been confirmed by two appellate courts.

Ouma was in 2013 convicted of abuse of office, soliciting and receiving a two million shillings bribe by the of the Anti-Corruption Court and sentenced to a pay fine, on top of banning him from holding public office for a period of 10 years .

Ouma’s conviction and sentence has since been confirmed by both the High Court in 2014 and Court of Appeal in 2016.

It’s against this background that the 3 Justices concurred with the petitioners; Sowedi Oundo and Deogratius Njoki that with this criminal record , it was unlawful for Ouma Adea to offer himself for nomination and subsequent election as Busia District LC5 chair person.

The Electoral Commission is free to organise fresh elections to fill the now vacant post.