Hoima MP's case for February 4

COURT-High Court will on February 4, hear a case in which a group of Banyoro are seeking orders against government over failure to organise elections for Hoima district Woman Member of Parliament.

The seat fell vacant after the current MP Tophace Kahwa opted to represent Kikuube district, which was carved out of Hoima district and became operational on July 1, 2018.

The hearing of the case will be presided over by the Civil Division of the High Court judge, Musa Sekaana.

The group filed the suit against the Attorney General (AG) and Electoral Commission (EC) through Wameli and Company Advocates recently.

Led by Hoima National Resistance Movement (NRM) mobilizer Amlan Tumusiime, the group wants court to direct EC to organise elections as soon as possible. They also want damages and costs of the suit.

In their suit, the applicants contend that failure by government to conduct elections in Hoima district within 60 days of the operationalization of Kikuube district and departure of Kaahwa, is in contravention of the Constitution and the Parliamentary Elections Act, 2005.

According to Tumusiime, the elections should have been organized within 60 days after July 1, 2018. It is now over 150 days and government have neither organised nor conducted any elections for Woman MP.

"Failure to conduct the elections have also to an extent denied the people the right to be governed through their will and consent as is constitutionally provided," he says.

"It is in the interest of constitutionalism and the rule of law that government is directed or ordered to immediately organise and conduct the elections," Anthony Wameli, the lawyer representing the applicants stated.

When the New Vision contacted the EC spokesperson Jotham Taremwa, over the issue, he said EC has no funds for conducting the elections.

"We are still waiting for government to give us funds to conduct the elections," Taremwa said.