NRM retains Lugazi Municipality mayoral seat
NRM's Deo Mwesigye hugs his supporter after the High Court declared that he was the rightful elected mayor of Lugazi Municipality. PHOTO BY TAUSI NAKATO
What you need to know:
- In the ruling, Mr Jessy Byaruhanga, the deputy registrar of the High Court declared Mr Mwesigye as the rightful elected mayor of Lugazi Municipality.
- In the election conducted in March last year, Mr Mwesigye was declared by the electoral commission as a winner after garnering 15,002 votes against Mr Aseya’s 11,011 votes.
JINJA
Jinja High Court has dismissed with costs the election petition filed by Social Development Party candidate Mr John Bosco Aseya Ozuma against the incumbent NRM’s Deo Mwesigye over election malpractices.
Mr Aseya in his petition accused the Mr Mwesigye and the Electoral Commission of not following the law, voter bribery, vote rigging, defacing of posters, intimidation, assault and tampering with the seals of the ballot boxes.
However, court on Thursday dismissed the petition after Mr Aseya failed to adduce sufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the first respondent (Mr Mwesigye) and the second respondent (EC) committed the said offences.
Mr Aseya had also accused Mr Mweisgye of donating an ambulance registration number UAT 512F to residents of Lugazi Municipality, a vehicle registration number UAH 755F aimed at teaching an unemployed Youth how to drive , a tractor to boost farmers productivity but court dismissed the allegations.
In the ruling, Mr Jessy Byaruhanga, the deputy registrar of the High Court declared Mr Mwesigye as the rightful elected mayor of Lugazi Municipality.
‘’In accordance with section 139 of the local Government Act, I dismiss the petition with costs because the petition did not comply with the standards of the law regarding the affidavits, and no proper evidence to support all the allegations,’’ said Mr Byaruhanga while reading the ruling.
Mr Wycliffe Birungi of Birungi and Co. Advocates who represented Mr Mwesigye said they are happy with the Court ruling and they are to charge the petitioner over Shs100m for the costs they have incurred.
Mr Fred Kato Lukwago of Alaka and Company Advocates who represented Mr Aseya said they are to sit with their client and decide whether they will appeal against the ruling or not.
In the election conducted in March last year, Mr Mwesigye was declared by the electoral commission as a winner after garnering 15,002 votes against Mr Aseya’s 11,011 votes.
