Court dismisses election petition against Muzanira

Muzanira (second left) and her supporters celebrating at Kabale High Court. Photo by Job Namanya

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 on May 31, 2018 challenged by the candidate of National Resistance Movement (NRM), Winfred Matsiko who alleged that the process was marred by electoral related irregularities.

Matsiko also alleged that Muzanira's victory was aided by voter bribery, intimidation, and failure by the Electoral Commission (EC) to organise the election in a free and fair manner.

Justice Moses Kawumi Kazibwe, the Kabale resident judge, while delivering his judgment at the Kabale high court on Friday, said 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 EC.

 "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.

After the ruling, Muzanira said her victory in the elections as well as in the courts of law is as a result of God's grace whom she trusts in.

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