Minister Opendi to stand as Independent
Ms Sarah Opendi. File photo
Tororo- The Minister of State for Primary Healthcare, Ms Sarah Achieng Opendi, has lost her bid to retain the Tororo District Woman Member of Parliament on the NRM party ticket.
Former MP for Tororo Municipality, Apollo Ofwono Yeri, however, beat his rival, Tefro Brian Ochieng, to the party’s flag bearer for the Municipality.
Ms Opendi lost to Ms Ayo Jacinta who polled 44,441 against 42,718 votes in a hotly contested race.
The minister is contesting the election outcomes and has threatened to petition to have the results nullified.
She claims that earlier, the NRM electoral commission had told candidates that it was going to follow alphabetical order when placing candidates on the ballot papers which they did not do.
The minister said this impacted on the final results since the candidates throughout the campaigns told voters of the alphabetical order to be followed while voting.
Had the commission used that option, her name would appear number one and this, she told her voters including the illiterate to vote for number one hence voting her rival.
However, she promised to stand as an independent if the party organs fail to accord her petition the necessary attention.
Mr Yeri who garnered 8,570 votes against Ochieng’s 1,378 votes will now tussle it out with incumbent area MP Sanjay Tanna who opted to remain an independent after citing irregularities in the NRM party primaries.
Other contests
• In Budama South constituency, the incumbent, Mr Jackson Oboth Oboth lost to Mr Phoebe Awere Otala who polled 15,849 votes against 14,607.
• In Budama North constituency, Mr Fox Odoi, the incumbent maintained victory after garnering 12,453 against his immediate rival Richard Okoth Othieno who gathered 12,258 votes.
• In Tororo County south, Mr Fredrick Angura emerged winner after polling 22,869 votes while his immediate rival Engorit Fredrick victor garnered 5,140 votes.
