Tororo county MP election Petition slated for Judgment

Jun 03, 2016

High court Judge, Lady Justice Patricia Basaza Wasswa on Friday said the final verdict on the matter was slated for June 28, 2016

An election petition in which former Tororo county Member of Parliament Geoffrey Ekanya contests the out of the   February 18, 2016 parliamentary elections results, has been fixed for judgment.

High court Judge, Lady Justice Patricia Basaza Wasswa on Friday said the final verdict on the matter was slated for June 28, 2016. Former out spoken Member of Parliament, lost the Tororo county North seat to Annet Nyakecho on a vote difference of only 82 votes. Tororo North Parliamentary elections that attracted a total of 8 candidates were won by Annet Nyakecho after polling 8911 votes against runner up and petitioner Geofrey Ekanya 8822votes respectively.

In a petition filed before Mbale High court by Ekanya through lawyers Isaac Obiro Ekirapa he states that his point of contention was the two (2) out of a total of 61 polling stations in Tororo County North constituency whose results were cancelled by the Returning Officer over irregularities.


"Nullifying the results of the parliamentary elections at Pagoya primary school and Mission of Hope polling stations respectively, by Electoral Commission denied the petitioner victory," states the petition. Lawyers Thomas Ochaya is representing Annet Nyakecho, while Lawyers Edmund Wakida is representing Electoral Commission.Among the prime witnesses that testified during hearing of the matter was the Returning Officer, Tororo District, Fred Muwaya.

During a cross examination with the lawyers of the petitioner, Muwaya who enlightened court on how they operate during elections told court that among the principle procedural, all Presiding Officer had to comply after the vote counting exercise was to stash all election materials in the ballot and lock it complete with a seal, an exercise that was to be witnessed by voters present

.He further told court that all presiding officer were expected was to stash the results of the elections at the polling station in a tamper proof plastic bag that he/she would be obliged to hands over to the EC sub county supervisor."In the instant matter my supervisor (Tonny Emoit) at Mukujju Sub County did not receive the election results for Pagoya Primary School and Mission of Hope polling station respectively," explained Muwaya.

He further told court that besides the presiding officers failing to deliver the results, when the ballot boxes were later transported to the district tally centre their seals had been broken.

"It's against this back ground that not only the results of the  two polling station were cancelled but both  presiding officers were arrested and charged," The returning officer told court. Earlier Isaac Okecho the presiding officer for Mission of Hope polling station had testified that commotion that resulted into physical violence reigned during the vote counting.Because of the commotion,

I was unable to seal results Declaration Forms in the temper proof envelope meant to be delivered to my sub county supervisor and I was also unable to stash the election materials in boxes,let alone sealing it" he explained.

Ekanya asserts that the votes he had obtained in both polling stations would put him in the lead position against Nyakecho.

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