Kaabong Woman MP seat falls vacant

Jul 19, 2019

The Electoral Commission is required by law to organise fresh elections whenever a constituency falls vacant within 60 days

The Clerk to Parliament, Jane Kibirige, has written to the Electoral Commission declaring Kaabong District Woman seat vacant.

Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah informed Parliament yesterday that the seat fell vacant following the relocation of the area MP Rose Akello to the newly created district of Karenga that came into effect on July 1, 2019. 

"I have received a notification from Hon. Rose Akello that she has chosen to represent the people of the newly created district of Karenga. As a result, her name will no longer be reflected in Kaabong district but Karenga," Oulanyah said.

As a result of Article 81(2) of the Constitution, Oulanyah said the Clerk has written to the Electoral Commission notifying them of the vacant position in Kaabong following the decision of the current area MP.

The Electoral Commission is required by law to organise fresh elections whenever a constituency falls vacant within 60 days. 

Curved out of Kaabong district, Karenga is among the last batch of six districts approved by the cabinet in 2015.

The district operations started on July 1 bringing to nine, the number of districts in Karamoja sub-region.

The new district has one constituency, Dodoth West, which is currently represented by ethics and integrity state minister Simon Lokodo. It will have seven sub-counties and three town councils with a population projection of 84,100 people.

Located in the north-western part of Kaabong, Karenga district will share a common border with South Sudan, in the area that hosts the Kidepo Valley conservation area. The community in the area derives its livelihood from subsistence farming, tourism and petty trade.

MPs, however, applauded Akello's move for not representing two areas as the district awaits a by-election.

Last year, the minister of science, technology and innovations, Dr Elioda Tumwesigye raised eyebrows when he was nominated as ruling National Resistance Movement candidate for the newly created Sheema Municipality seat despite being a sitting MP for Sheema North constituency.

Tumwesigye campaigned and won the seat. He only relinquished the seat after he was declared the winner.

MP Medard Ssegona, however, said whereas the government's intention of creating more district is to ease service delivery, it has not appointed more judges to handle cases in the newly created districts, hence creating a backlog.

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