Bakoko loses petition
Mar 14, 2006
A petition by gender minister Zoe Bakoko Bakoru for a recount of votes in Ayivu county, where she lost, was on Tuesday dismissed on technical grounds.
By Frank Mugabi
A petition by gender minister Zoe Bakoko Bakoru for a recount of votes in Ayivu county, where she lost, was on Tuesday dismissed on technical grounds.
Arua Chief Magistrate Joseph Omodo Nyanga said the petition had been overtaken by time and that serving of summons to Margaret Angufiru, who was declared the MP-elect, was insufficient.
Bakoko petitioned the court on March 7 after she lost by 544 votes. Omodo said the petition should have been heard within four days. He said the Electoral Commission and the Arua returning officer had declined to sign the summons.
Angufiru was never found at her residence and no responsible person had received the summons on her behalf, he said.
Bakoko had cited anomalies she claimed were committed by the Electoral Commission officials.
“Ballot papers in some boxes were unsealed by the returning officer in Adumi sub-county without a security personnel,†Bakoko said.
She contended that the number of ballot papers used at many polling stations were more than the number issued and that many of Angufiru’s results were inflated on the tallying sheet by the EC.
Omodo advised Bakoko to petition the High Court and directed the Police to investigate and produce the EC official responsible in the court.
“The petitioner should petition the high court as she has 30 days from the date the electoral results are gazzeted,†Omodo said.
Ends
A petition by gender minister Zoe Bakoko Bakoru for a recount of votes in Ayivu county, where she lost, was on Tuesday dismissed on technical grounds.
Arua Chief Magistrate Joseph Omodo Nyanga said the petition had been overtaken by time and that serving of summons to Margaret Angufiru, who was declared the MP-elect, was insufficient.
Bakoko petitioned the court on March 7 after she lost by 544 votes. Omodo said the petition should have been heard within four days. He said the Electoral Commission and the Arua returning officer had declined to sign the summons.
Angufiru was never found at her residence and no responsible person had received the summons on her behalf, he said.
Bakoko had cited anomalies she claimed were committed by the Electoral Commission officials.
“Ballot papers in some boxes were unsealed by the returning officer in Adumi sub-county without a security personnel,†Bakoko said.
She contended that the number of ballot papers used at many polling stations were more than the number issued and that many of Angufiru’s results were inflated on the tallying sheet by the EC.
Omodo advised Bakoko to petition the High Court and directed the Police to investigate and produce the EC official responsible in the court.
“The petitioner should petition the high court as she has 30 days from the date the electoral results are gazzeted,†Omodo said.
Ends