Court dismisses Wanyoto’s petition, upholds MP Galiwango’s victory
A photo combo showing Mbale City Woman MP, Ms Connie Nakayenze Galiwango (left) and the petitioner Ms Lydia Wanyoto (right) in Mbale High Court as they waited for the verdict in an election petition filed by Ms Wanyoto on September 30, 2021. Photo/ Micheal Woniala
What you need to know:
- Ms Wanyoto petitioned court accusing Ms Galiwango and the EC of election fraud
Mbale High Court has upheld the election of Ms Connie Nakayenze Galiwango as Mbale City Woman Member of Parliament and dismissed, with costs, the election petition filed by Ms Lydia Wanyoto.
After the January 2021 general election, Ms Wanyoto who was the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer in the Mbale City Woman MP race refused to concede, arguing that the electoral process was marred by widespread fraud allegedly orchestrated by Ms Galiwango and electoral commission.
This was the Electoral Commission (EC) results indicated that Ms Galiwango, who contested as an Independent candidate after losing the NRM primaries, garnered 40,729 (53.28 per cent) votes while Ms Wanyoto got 25,276 (33.06 per cent) votes in the January 14 general election.
Consequently, Ms Wanyoto filed a petition asking court to nullify Galiwango’s victory.
"The second respondent (Galiwango) resoundingly won the election with 40,729 votes against the 25,276 votes. That is a wild margin given that there were four other candidates in the race. The success of such a winning candidate at election cannot be interfered with or taken away without any justification. It should be upheld, having found that the petitioner is not entitled to any remedies. The petition is therefore, dismissed in its entirety with costs to first and second respondent," Justice Andrew Byabashaija ruled.
Ms Wanyoto, however, told journalists after the court proceedings that she was not satisfied with the court decision and that she’s going to petition court of appeal.
