Migereko wins election petition
Jun 29, 2011
Lands, housing and urban development minister Daudi Migereko has won a petition challenging his election as MP. The petition was filed by Grace Kirya Wanzala, the runner-up in the February 18 parliamentary polls.
By Charles Kakamwa and Jackie Nambogga
Lands, housing and urban development minister Daudi Migereko has won a petition challenging his election as MP. The petition was filed by Grace Kirya Wanzala, the runner-up in the February 18 parliamentary polls.
Wanzala stood on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party ticket against Migereko (NRM) in Butembe constituency in Jinja district. He alleged that the exercise was marred by electoral malpractices.
Wanzala said the election in Butembe was not conducted in accordance with the laws governing the electoral body. Migereko, who got 16,623 votes against Wanzala’s 15,793 votes, was sued together with the Electoral Commission.
Wanzala lost the same seat to Migereko in 2006. Wanzala said his voters were not allowed to vote because their names did not appear on the voters register.
He added that some of his other supporters had their names appearing at polling stations where they did not register.
Wanzala said false results were uttered on the declaration forms in favour of Migereko. He also accused the Electoral Commission of conniving with his opponent to deny him victory.
Wanzala, who was not present in court, was represented by his lawyer, Julius Galinsonga. Migereko was accompanied by MPs Milton Muwuma (Kigulu South), Peter Mugema (Iganga municipality) and Butaleja resident district commissioner Richard Gulume.
The case has been before Justice Billy Kainamura of the Jinja High Court. In his ruling read by the Jinja High Court deputy registrar, Festus Nsenga, Kainamura dismissed the petition with costs.
He said the petitioner did not go to the Electoral Commission to get certified copies to prove his claims.
Lands, housing and urban development minister Daudi Migereko has won a petition challenging his election as MP. The petition was filed by Grace Kirya Wanzala, the runner-up in the February 18 parliamentary polls.
Wanzala stood on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party ticket against Migereko (NRM) in Butembe constituency in Jinja district. He alleged that the exercise was marred by electoral malpractices.
Wanzala said the election in Butembe was not conducted in accordance with the laws governing the electoral body. Migereko, who got 16,623 votes against Wanzala’s 15,793 votes, was sued together with the Electoral Commission.
Wanzala lost the same seat to Migereko in 2006. Wanzala said his voters were not allowed to vote because their names did not appear on the voters register.
He added that some of his other supporters had their names appearing at polling stations where they did not register.
Wanzala said false results were uttered on the declaration forms in favour of Migereko. He also accused the Electoral Commission of conniving with his opponent to deny him victory.
Wanzala, who was not present in court, was represented by his lawyer, Julius Galinsonga. Migereko was accompanied by MPs Milton Muwuma (Kigulu South), Peter Mugema (Iganga municipality) and Butaleja resident district commissioner Richard Gulume.
The case has been before Justice Billy Kainamura of the Jinja High Court. In his ruling read by the Jinja High Court deputy registrar, Festus Nsenga, Kainamura dismissed the petition with costs.
He said the petitioner did not go to the Electoral Commission to get certified copies to prove his claims.