MP Ssekikubo election victory disputed in court

By Dismus Buregyeya    

Court in Masaka will on March 3 start hearing an application filed by Lwemiyaga County Parliamentary race candidate Patrick Nkalubo (independent) from Ssembabule district who is  demanding for a vote recount.

Nkalubo, who lost the race to the incumbent area MP, Theodore Ssekikubo (NRM) on  8074 against 9272 votes wants a vote recount of all polling stations in the constituency.

The Masaka Chief Magistrate, Moses Munoba met the two parties in his chambers on March 1 in a closed session where he adjourned the hearing until Thursday to allow the EC to attend.

The Lwemiyaga MP, Theodore Ssekikubo peruses the suit filed by Nkalubno outside court.

Ssekikubo, who stormed court on Monday evening, protested the application for the vote recount saying it had run out of time.

He said the EC should not be allowed to conduct a vote recount on grounds that the ballot boxes were opened during the district Local Government polls.

“The ballot boxes used during the parliamentary polls were opened and the ballots were removed and put in sacks, how then will they use them again for a vote recount, it means that the seals to the boxes were broken,” he said.

Ssekikubo said he was surprised that the matter was going to be heard in his absence.

“I was surprised that the application was going to be heard on Tuesday ex- party, I was informed by my sympathizers in court, it would have been fair if court had also served me as a third party in the matter,” he said.

Lwemiyaga MP Theodore Ssekikubo leaves court where his opponet Patrick Nkalubo is demanding a vote recount

He said he had hired the Kampala City Lord Mayor, Elias Lukwago and Alaka, among others, to head his legal team that will defend him on Thursday.

Nkalubo, who also hired KNT and Kobs Company advocates, said its his right to seek a vote recount.

, The race runner up, Patrick Nkalubo

“All I demand is to have a vote recount, I demand for justice in this matter, I will be satisfied if a vote recount is granted,” he said.

He said he has evidence that the elections in Lwemiyaga were marred with several irregularities.

Nkalubo has made three fruitless attempts to oust Ssekukibo since 2006.