Court dismisses election petition against FDC's Muzanira

ELECTION PETITION

KABALE - The High Court in Kabale, has dismissed an election petition against Forum for Democratic Change's Rukungiri woman Member of Parliament, Betty Bamukwatsa Muzanira.

Muzanira's victory was challenged by National Resistance Movement candidate Winfred Matsiko on 31st May, 2018.

Matsiko alleged that the process was marred by electoral related irregularities and that Muzanira's victory was aided by voter bribery, intimidation, and failure by the electoral commission to organize the poll in a free and fair manner.

Justice Moses Kawumi Kazibwe, the Kabale resident judge, while delivering his judgment at the Kabale high court on Kikungiri hill on Friday said that Matsiko failed to produce substantial evidence pinning Muzanira or showing how the electoral body failed on its part to conduct a free and fair election.

Kazibwe ordered Matsiko  to pay costs to Muzanira  and the electoral commission.

"The petitioner has failed to prove all the allegations she made against the first and second respondent respectively. The petition failed in its entirety and it is dismissed with costs to the first and second respondent respectively," ruled Justice Kazibwe.

Matsiko petitioned the High Court on 6th July 2018 seeking nullification of the declared results where Betty Muzanira was announced winner.

She was asking for an order for fresh elections claiming that the process was marred with several irregularities and malpractices.

Muzanira was the only one at the court with her lawyers since her rival Matsiko was not at the court.

Muzanira said that all her victory in the elections as well in the courts of law is as a result of the God whom she trusts.

"I must be thankful to God for restoring my victory amidst this great opposition. I also thank the judiciary for ruling professionally," she said.