Aringa Parliamentary Seat Vacant

ASHRAF Noah Olega has ceased to be an MP and the Electoral Commission has been asked to organise a by-election to fill the vacant Aringa county seat, Clerk to Parliament Aeneas Tandekwire has said, reports John Kakande.Tandekwire told The New Vision yesterday that MPs Dr Steven Mallinga (Butebo) and Peter Patrick Ochieng (Bukooli South), still hold their seats although the High Court nullified their election over bribery and academic qualifications respectively. Both Mallinga and Ochieng have appealed against the court ruling. But Olega whose election was nullified by the High Court on January 25 for lacking required academic qualifications did not lodge an appeal, Tandekwire said.Quoting section 94(2) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, Tandekwire said when an MP loses a seat through an election petition, he or she continues to hold the seat and is free to attend proceedings in the Parliament once he or she lodges an appeal.“Olega did not appeal. I have communicated to the Electoral Commission that the seat (Aringa) is vacant. I am still waiting to hear from the court about Mallinga,” Tandekwire said. He said Mallinga had told him he was considering withdrawing the appeal and going for a by-election.Ends