Africa-Press – Uganda. IGANGA- Iganga Chief Magistrate Catherine Agwero has thrown out a petition seeking to overturn the election of Lands State minister Persis Namuganza as Member of Parliament (MP) for Bukono constituency in Namutumba District.
The petition had been filed by Mr Emmanuel Maganda Katoko, whom the minister first defeated in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries and opted to stand as an Independent in the General Election.
Mr Maganda in his petition contended that there was ballot stuffing during the January 14 parliamentary election that led to his defeat.
However, Ms Agwero rejected the petition on grounds that Mr Maganda failed to provide substantive evidence for court to order a recount.
Speaking shortly after the dismissal of the petition, Ms Namuganza said she expected the verdict because her win was genuine, and accused Mr Maganda of being used by some people she did not name to fight her.
“I was not involved in any election malpractices, but Mr Maganda took me to court after being influenced by people who want to disorganise me for their selfish interests,” Ms Namuganza said.
She further alleged that telephone calls had been made to the presiding magistrate to influence her ruling but truth prevailed.
AllegationsMr Maganda, however, denied the claims of influence peddling. He added that he wanted to show the voters that he could not just keep quite after seeing the mess that characterised the election. “I accept the court ruling but want the minister to put things right in the constituency or risk being defeated in the next election,” he said.
The same court also rejected an application to recount votes in Kigulu North constituency, Iganga District, which was filed by Hajj Ismail Badogi Waguma, who lost to Mr Fred Bwino Kyakulaga.
In the application, also filed against the Electoral Commission (EC) as second respondent, Mr Badogi had said the number of votes attained by his opponent was ‘very high.’He added that the exercise was marred by many arithmetic errors on the Declaration Results forms.
Ms Mercy Ataho, the Iganga District returning officer, declared Mr Kyakulaga of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) winner with 14,560 votes while Hajj Badogi (Independent) attained 14,154 votes. Mr Edrisa Lugwire of the National Unity Platform (NUP) got 2,822.
However, in her ruling, Ms Agwero held: “The problem seems to be more than arithmetic errors, which a recount cannot solve,” before ordering each party to meet its costs of the suit.After the verdict, Jajj Badogi, who was dissatisfied, said the decision to appeal does not lie with him, but with his supporters.
