Court declares two Kooki seats vacant

Jul 29, 2016

Boaz Ninsiima Kasirabo was accused of involvement in vote rigging. The Lwengo Woman MP Cissy Namujju was also accused of lacking the requisite academic qualifications.

PIC:  Namujju Cissy Dionizia, the ousted  Lwengo woman MP. Photos/Hanipher Namuwonge

Masaka High Court has ordered for fresh elections in two constituencies of Kooki County in Rakai district over vote rigging and bribery.

Boaz Ninsiima Kasirabo was accused of involvement in vote rigging. The Lwengo Woman MP Cissy Namujju was also accused of lacking the requisite academic qualifications.

High Court Judge Margaret Tibulya ordered for fresh elections after finding Namujju, guilty of violating provisions of the law when she contested for a parliamentary seat without obtaining the required Advanced Level certificate of education.

The ruling follows a petition filed by Martin Serwanga a voter in Mbiriizi Town council in Lwengo district.

Serwanga challenged Namujju's election accusing her of forging documents that were used for her nomination and bribing voters with money citing several polling stations in the district where voters were given cash.

Serwanga had told court that Namujju forged a deed poll, which she presented to the Lwengo electoral commission officers that bears the names of Aisha Kayaga, yet all her documents had particulars of Namujju Cissy Dionizia.

In a ruling, read by Deputy Registrar Baker Rwatooro, Justice Tibulya said she was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Namujju breached electoral laws. She noted in her ruling that Namujju failed to honour clear guidelines on academic requirements for a Parliamentary seat as well as bribing voters, declaring the seat vacant and ordered for fresh elections.

 oaz asirabo insiima ousted ooki  Boaz Kasirabo Ninsiima, ousted Kooki MP

 

 


David Mpuuga, the Independent candidate who lost to Ninsiima with a difference of 896 votes in the just concluded parliamentary elections stated that the February 2016 elections were characterized by malpractices and several electoral offences were committed.

Mpuuga told court that at a number of polling stations, the number of ballot papers cast exceeded voters. He also said voters were given money on voting day.

Justice Tibulya ruled that Kasirabo was elected fraudulently. She said court established in the course of hearing, that some declaration forms were not signed and many had numerical errors whereby some invalid votes were unlawfully declared valid.

However Kasirabo, vowed to appeal, saying he was not satisfied with the judgment.

Kasirabo is the second NRM legislator to be thrown out of parliament in Rakai District after Christopher Kalemba whose election as Kakuuto county MP was nullified over lack of required qualifications.

 

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