Tororo woman MP seat: NRM EC listens to Opendi's petition
Oct 06, 2020
The tribunal is set to complete the hearing and also give its ruling on the matter tomorrow (Wednesday).
ELECTION WATCH|TORORO|MP SEAT|NRM
The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission (EC) has started listening to a petition by State Minister for Minerals, Sarah Opendi in which she is objecting to her loss in the recently concluded party primaries.
Opendi petitioned the party EC on Friday protesting Jancita Othieno Ayo's win. She claims that votes from 444 villages in both Tororo County North and South were not tallied during the exercise.
Tororo district has West Budama constituency and Tororo municipality under one NRM political district, and Tororo county North and South also under another but in the same official district.
Addressing journalists at NRM EC offices in Kampala, Tuesday (October 6, 2020), the EC vice chairperson, John Arimpa Kigyagi said at first, they had tallied results from West Budama constituency and the municipality reflecting Othieno as the winner.
"We got guidance from the tribunal listening to petitions to add results of Tororo County to those of West Budama constituency and the municipality to establish who the winner is," he said.
He said after adding results again, Opendi got 69,996 votes while her competitor Othieno got 56,731 votes.
The results that were declared first by the EC indicated that Ayo attained 54,157 votes, while Opendi got 26,528.
Kigyagi however said since the matter is before the tribunal, it is its mandate to investigate and find out who the genuine winner is.
The remarks came shortly after Opendi and Othieno appeared before the tribunal with their declaration forms for hearing. The tribunal is set to complete the hearing and also give its ruling on the matter tomorrow (Wednesday).