Court of Appeal to rule on FDC’s Kantinti’s election appeal today
KAMPALA- The Court of Appeal is expected to deliver its judgment Wednesday in an election appeal that will determine whether opposition Forum for Democratic Change’s Apollo Kantinti remains in Parliament or is kicked out.
Mr Kantinti is the MP for Kyadondo East constituency in Wakiso District.
“Take notice that the above matter has been fixed for judgement/ruling on the 26 day of April 2017 at 9:30am. If no appearance is made on your behalf by yourself or someone authorised to act for you, the judgment/ ruling be held in your absence,” reads in part the judgment notice of the court to concerned parties.
Mid last year, High Court judge Isabirye Kaweesa, nullified Kantinti’s election and ordered the Electoral Commission to organise fresh elections in his constituency.
Justice Kaweesa while kicking out Kantinti out of Parliament, observed that there was non-compliance with election rules during the February 18 parliamentary elections that saw MP Kantinti declared winner.
The judge went on to fault the Wakiso District returning officer, Ms Sarah Bukirwa for disfranchising voters and also failing to secure custody of election materials.
The High Court ruling followed a successful petition by NRM's William Sitenda Sebalu who was the runner up in the February 18 election and lost to Kantinti by a small margin of 326 votes.
Mr Sebalu had in his petition sued Kantinti, the Electoral Commission and Bukirwa for conniving to commit several election irregularities which he said affected the quality of the election in Kyadondo East in a substantial manner, hence the nullification of the same by the court.
But being dissatisfied with the ruling of the High Court, Mr Kantinti appealed against the same before the Court of Appeal that will determine his appeal today.
The returning officer declared Mr Kantinti the winner of the Kyadondo East constituency with 9005 votes and Mr Sebalu as runner up with 8679 votes.
