Odoi says most election petitions are petty

Sep 15, 2020

NRM PRIMARIES |

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) electoral commission has been flooded with petty petitions following party primaries that saw seasoned politicians, including ministers and district chairpersons (LC5), trounced in the just concluded party primaries.

Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM electoral commission chairperson, yesterday said given the nature of justifi cations cited in the petitions, it is very unlikely that the declared results would be cancelled.

"Some of these petitions are simply that my agents were slapped. People pushed me out of the line. We have them there. Some of them just do not make sense because somebody says my agents were blocked from reaching on time and the elections started without them," Odoi said. 

He conceded that the elections suffered some challenges, but he hastened to add that it was a success, arguing that the 378 petitions that arose from a total number of 2,493 candidates for MPs and LC5 chairpersons cannot be termed as a fl awed exercise.

"With such justifi cations, they bring petitions here for us to cancel an election. Even before the lawyers look at it, I can safely say those kinds of reasons you have written as petitions will not lead to cancellation of results. I can say that without fear of contradiction," Odoi said. 

Flanked by commissioner Jane Alisemera and the party legal director Oscar Kihika, Odoi said the petitions which are credible will be sorted out and results announced. 

"If your agent was slapped on the way to the polling station, that is a Police issue. You should have sorted out that with the Police. I want to call upon candidates to restrain themselves from coming here as a daily routine. Do not make this your home because it is an office. 

"You have given us a petition, please go away and give us time to do our work," Odoi told reporters in the presence of some petitioners.

According to the NRM post-primaries elections notice, former Vice-President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya who lost to Luwero triangle state minister Ssozi Galabuzi, is among the petitioners.

Ministers Dr Elioda Tumwesigye (science and technology), Simon Lokodo (ethics and integrity), Agnes Akiror (Teso affairs), Moses Kizige (Karamoja affairs), Isaac Musumba (urban planning), Mwesigwa Rukutana (labour), Joy Kabatsi (works), Michael Werikhe (trade) and state minister in the offi ce of the Vice-President Kasirivu Atwooki are among the petitioners.

By yesterday afternoon, many petitioners were still flocking the NRM EC offices on Kyadondo Road in Kampala. They had to go through a tight joint security mounted by Police and the army at the entrance, to fi le their cases. 

Notable among those who went included: tourism minister Maj. Tom Butime, former ministers Sarah Kataike, Kamanda Bataringaya, MPs Kalule Sengo, Robinah Rwakoojo and Hood Katuramu. 

The NRM primaries, held on September 4, were marred with disputes over register and vote counting in some areas. Results in some areas are yet to be declared due to disputes, while in other areas, the exercise has been cancelled.

LC3 Polls

The NRM primaries to pick fl ag-bearers in elections of sub-county (LC3) chairpersons and their councillors will be held ON Wednesday.

Tanga Odoi said the Ntungamo Municipality elections were cancelled due to alleged misconduct of the three candidates that included ferrying voters from Kampala, to take part in the elections.

Odoi said results for Buyaga East and Ntoroko will be announced today, while new  dates for Mawogola North, Mawogola West and Kigulu South primaries will be announced after September 20.

Candidates snub amnesty

Party chairman President Yoweri Museveni recently issued an ultimatum about rigging and fraud.

"I gave all those who did it a three-day amnesty starting September 10, to come clean. If they do not heed to this call, we shall announce the true results and, instead, prosecute those fraudsters," Museveni warned last week, at a function where the party gave NRM parish chairpersons motorcycles.   

Asked whether the polls fraudsters had heeded to Museveni's ultimatum, both Odoi and Kihika said they were not aware of  any candidate who had responded to the ultimatum. 

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