Bugweri voters sue Katuntu

Jan 21, 2008

THE LC3 chairman for Ibulanku sub-county in Iganga district has petitioned the High Court to nullify the election of Abdu Katuntu as MP for Bugweri county.

By Charles Ariko

THE LC3 chairman for Ibulanku sub-county in Iganga district has petitioned the High Court to nullify the election of Abdu Katuntu as MP for Bugweri county.

Aziz Muwaya, who describes himself as a voter, said Katuntu was not qualified for election as an MP having been convicted of various crimes of dishonesty and moral turpitude by the Uganda Law Council.

Muwaya said the polls held on December 13, 2007 were also marred by violence and intimidation of voters. He attached 500 signatures of voters whom, he said, were also dissatisfied with the outcome of the elections

He listed 10 complaints that were brought before the law council disciplinary committee against Katuntu.

He equated the disciplinary committee to ‘a competent court for renegade advocates’ under the Advocates Act. Muwaya said Katuntu committed the crimes within seven years preceding the elections and, therefore, was not qualified for election.

In the petition, Muwaya also alleged that the Electoral Commission, which is a co-respondent in the petition, disfranchised voters by rendering the electoral process unfair.

He said the Electoral Commission failed in its duty when it allowed voters without their names on the voters’ register to vote.

Through Ntambirweki Kandeebe and Company Advocates, Muwaya said the Electoral Commission failed to control multiple voting. He further said the commission permitted unauthorised persons to act as polling officials.

He also accused the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party members of interfering with the NRM candidates’ electioneering activities, hence preventing a free and fair poll.

But Katuntu yesterday rubbished Muwaya’s claims, saying he was being used by the security minister, Amama Mbabazi, to smear his name.

“That is total rubbish. I have never been convicted of any offence by the disciplinary committee of the law council. I have never even been cautioned by the council. Like any other advocate, I have complaints at the law council. Most of them arose because of disagreements in payment of fees. But they were all solved,” Katuntu said.

He explained that even if an advocate was convicted by the law council, it would not stop them from contesting for elections because the disciplinary committee is not a court but a tribunal.

He said under the Parliamentary and Elections Act, it is only a person convicted by a court who cannot contest. “Those complaints are outrageous and laughable. That petition was manufactured in Kanungu by Mbabazi, with the intention of smearing my name. There is no merit in it. I am anxiously waiting to be served, then I will expose the inside story,” he added.

Katuntu, who is an FDC member, won the by-election with 14, 704 (50%) votes, while Kirunda Kivejinja came second with 12,829 (44.3%) votes.

President Yoweri Museveni recently advised Kivejinja to sue Katuntu.

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