Ogwal wins, Mbabali loses poll petition
Sep 05, 2011
THE High Court in Lira has dismissed with costs the election petition filed against Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Atim Ogwal and the Electoral Commission.
By Bonney Odongo and Patrick Okino
THE High Court in Lira has dismissed with costs the election petition filed against Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Atim Ogwal and the Electoral Commission.
The petition was filed by former Dokolo residence district commissioner Ruth Atala Adupa, who was the NRM flag-bearer during the February polls.
Adupa had alleged widespread intimidation and bribery of voters using salt, soap, money and ox-ploughs by Ogwal’s camp during the polls.
She also accused the commission of knowingly or unknowingly allowing the cancellation of results from eight polling stations where she had landslide victory.
In his judgement on Friday, Justice Stephen Musota noted that polls cast in the eight polling stations were more than the number of registered voters and that it was inflated in favour of Adupa.
He noted that according to the commission, 3,884 voters were registered at the eight polling stations, but the nullified results indicated that Adupa got 21,234 votes and Ogwal 1,121.
On the issue of intimidation, Musota said there was no evidence to pin Ogwal’s agents and that no report of violence was reported at the Police. Ogwal said justice was done. “Court has proved that all the irregularities reported were committed by the petitioner. As a leader, I never thought she could commit a crime and run to court,†she said.
Ogwal said she had already forgiven Adupa, but that she should meet the costs she and the commission incurred during the proceedings.
Meanwhile, the Bukoto South MP, Muyanja Mbabaali (NRM), was on Friday thrown out of Parliament after the Masaka High Court nullified his election.
Muyanja’s election was challenged by DP’s Matthias Nsubuga who contended that the MP did not have the required academic qualifications for the seat.
Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo, who presided over the case, noted that the Ministry of Education and National Council of Higher Education proved that Mbabaali had fake papers.
Dollo further said the prosecution proved that Mbabaali presented forged documents to the Electoral Commission for nomination.
The MPs on the appointments committee had earlier rejected Mbabaali as a ministerial appointee citing fake academic papers.
Additional reporting by Ali Mambule and Dismus Buregyeya
THE High Court in Lira has dismissed with costs the election petition filed against Dokolo Woman MP Cecilia Atim Ogwal and the Electoral Commission.
The petition was filed by former Dokolo residence district commissioner Ruth Atala Adupa, who was the NRM flag-bearer during the February polls.
Adupa had alleged widespread intimidation and bribery of voters using salt, soap, money and ox-ploughs by Ogwal’s camp during the polls.
She also accused the commission of knowingly or unknowingly allowing the cancellation of results from eight polling stations where she had landslide victory.
In his judgement on Friday, Justice Stephen Musota noted that polls cast in the eight polling stations were more than the number of registered voters and that it was inflated in favour of Adupa.
He noted that according to the commission, 3,884 voters were registered at the eight polling stations, but the nullified results indicated that Adupa got 21,234 votes and Ogwal 1,121.
On the issue of intimidation, Musota said there was no evidence to pin Ogwal’s agents and that no report of violence was reported at the Police. Ogwal said justice was done. “Court has proved that all the irregularities reported were committed by the petitioner. As a leader, I never thought she could commit a crime and run to court,†she said.
Ogwal said she had already forgiven Adupa, but that she should meet the costs she and the commission incurred during the proceedings.
Meanwhile, the Bukoto South MP, Muyanja Mbabaali (NRM), was on Friday thrown out of Parliament after the Masaka High Court nullified his election.
Muyanja’s election was challenged by DP’s Matthias Nsubuga who contended that the MP did not have the required academic qualifications for the seat.
Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo, who presided over the case, noted that the Ministry of Education and National Council of Higher Education proved that Mbabaali had fake papers.
Dollo further said the prosecution proved that Mbabaali presented forged documents to the Electoral Commission for nomination.
The MPs on the appointments committee had earlier rejected Mbabaali as a ministerial appointee citing fake academic papers.
Additional reporting by Ali Mambule and Dismus Buregyeya