NRM's Walyomu wins Kagoma county by-election, challenger to go to court again

Mr Moses  Walyomu,  the winner of Kagoma County by-election being carried by supporters after being declared winner by the Electoral Commission. Photo by Denis Edema

Jinja.

The National Resistance Movement candidate, Mr Moses Walyomu, has been declared the winner of Kagoma County parliamentary seat.

He was declared the winner of the by-election at exactly 10:40pm by the Returning Officer for Jinja District, Mr Rogers Edward Serunjogi.

He announced: “… I declare Mr Moses Walyomu as the winner of Kagoma County parliamentary seat.”

The Kagoma parliamentary seat fell vacant after the Court of Appeal earlier in the year nullified the result of the 2016 parliamentary election following an appeal by Mr Alex Brandon Kintu who again emerged second.

Just like in 2016 parliamentary race, Mr Kintu stood as an independent and again lost to Mr Walyomu. He then filed an election petition in court detailing election fraud manifested in the form of particularly voter bribery, something he said unjustly swung the result in favour of his rival.

The Court of Appeal agreed with his argument and in early March, a verdict nullifying the election was declared, resulting into the by-election which Mr Walyomu won with 24,257 votes.

Mr Kintu who emerged second got 18,490 votes. Third in the pecking order is the Forum for Democratic Change candidate, Timothy Batuwa Lusala with 8,149 votes. Mr Muhammed Bidondole, another independent candidate walked away with 1248 votes.
In his submission before the results were declared, Commissioner Stephen Tashobya who is also in charge of Eastern Uganda, said: “Many things were said about this county and how difficult it is to hold an election here.

“But we have generally managed to do the best we can to have this election. We may not have been perfect but we have tried our best and we have taken all decisions independently.”
The Electoral Commission chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi reaffirmed the notion that mistakes that the commission could have done was down to the fact that to error is human.

He also appeared to water down the importance of elections, saying that is not what matters most in life for it is not what brings food to table, a similar sentiments he expressed last month in Kamuli.

Meanwhile, Mr Kintu has said he will go back to court again, saying the by-election has not been free and fair. He said there were glaring intimidation, bribery and non-compliance of the electoral laws. He said: “ I am talking with my lawyers to file a fresh petition.”
The numbers
Mr Alex Brandon Kintu (Independent)- 18490
Mr Moses Walyomu (NRM)- 24257
Mr Muhammed Bidondole (Independent)- 1248
Mr Timothy Batuwa Lusala (FDC)- 8149
Important
Kagoma County has nearly 102,000 registered voters, with 158 polling station.