Voting underway in Jinja Parliamentary by- election

By Vision Reporter

Voting is underway in the Jinja Municipality East Parliamentary by-election.

The seat fell vacant following a Court ruling that nullified the election of former state minister for trade   Nathan Igime Nabeta.

In the race is Nabeta, the NRM flag bearer, Paul Mwiru (FDC) and candidates from other opposition political parties.

A number of voters had queued to cast their ballot by 8am according to a New Vision correspondent in Jinja.  

Security is tight as the Electoral Commission senior officials have camped in Jinja to oversee the election exercise.  

The Court of appeal in December upheld a High Court ruling that nullified the election of Nabeta ordered for fresh elections.

The ruling was a unanimous decision of three Justices led by Constance Byamugisha.

The Justices concurred with the petitioner that Nabeta’s academic qualifications were not properly equated by the National Council for Higher Education in consultation with Uganda National Examinations as required by the law.

Court also confrimed that Nabeta bribed voters with wielding and compressor machines, which he distributed during campaign time.

Nabeta, who has represented Jinja East in the House since 2001, beat Mwiru in a closely contested election; 8,203 votes against 7,060.

Before the February 18 elections, questions arose about Nabeta’s qualifications after Fred Luyinda and Dan Waisswa (both registered voters in Jinja East) filed a case claiming that  the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) had wrongly issued the MP with a certificate of A-level equivalence in August 2010.

According to some of the documents filed in court and at the Electoral Commission, Nabeta submitted a letter of admission to Oklahoma State University and State of California High School.