Musumba, former contestants withdraw cases against MPs

Opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) vice president Proscovia Salaamu Musumba is among several former contestants in the January 14 polls that have withdrawn petitions against their rivals.

Ms Musumba, who is the FDC vice president for eastern region, has withdrawn the petition in which she was challenging the election of Ms Rebecca Kadaga as the Kamuli District Woman MP.

In the petition filed before Jinja High Court, Ms Musumba had alleged that Ms Kadaga committed numerous electoral offences before and during polls.

But Ms Musumba yesterday told court presided over by Justice Isa Sserunkuma that she was no longer interested in pursuing this petition.
 In Bunyangabu District, Mr Patrick Murungi Zeresire yesterday withdrew a petition challenging the election of Mr David Kamukama as the Bunyangabu County MP.

Mr Zeresire, who lost to Mr Kamukama, had sued the latter, accusing him of lack of academic qualifications.  But Mr Zeresire told Justice Jesse Byaruhanga in Fort Portal High Court that he was withdrawing the petition.

In Lira, the High Court on Monday accepted the withdrawal of an election petition filed by former Lira City mayoral candidate Mike Ogwang Veve, who was challenging the election of Mr Sam Atul.

Mr Ogwang, the former interim city mayor, ran on the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party ticket in the January 2021 mayoral elections.
 But he lost to Mr Atul, an Independent candidate. Mr Ogwang polled 12,056 votes against Mr Atul’s 12,515. 
 

However, Mr Ogwang in early March ran to the High Court in Lira on grounds that the election was marred with gross irregularities.
 But during the commencement of the petition hearing on Monday, Mr Ogwang asked court to allow him withdraw the petition. This, he said, would allow him to enter into an out-of-court settlement with Mr Atul.
 Accordingly, the presiding judge, Justice Vincent Emmy Mugabo, granted his request.

In Ankole Sub-region, the hearing of six election kicked off at the High Court in Mbarara.
 Presiding judge Moses Kazibwe Kawumi said he would hear all the six election petitions and deliver his judgment in one month.

Among the petitions is one filed by former Isingiro District chairperson Jeremiah Kamurali Birungi, who is challenging the election of Mr Nathan Byanyima as Bukanga North MP.

Mr Kamurali, who stood as an Independent, wants court to declare him as the duly elected MP for Bukanga North Constituency on grounds that NRM’s Byanyima was wrongly nominated.
 He also alleges that the former NRM flag bearer used false academic documents to get nominated.

However, Mr Byanyima through his lawyers asked the court to dismiss the petition since the same case was handled by the same court and dismissed.

Justice Kazibwe adjourned the hearing to tomorrow.
 The other case before the court is that of Mr Moses Mpeirwe Kashaija, who is challenging the election of Bukanga County MP Stephen Kangwagye.  In Masaka, the High Court has fixed dates for hearing of election petitions for Members of Parliament for Rakai, Bukomansimbi and Lwengo districts.

Justice Ester Nambayo fixed August 23 as the date of hearing an election petition in which Ms Olivia Mugabe of National Unity Platform (NUP) is challenging the election of Mr Muhamad Muyanja of NRM. Justice Nambayo has also set the same date for the hearing of an election petition in which NUP’s Grace Nalubega is challenging the victory of Ms Juliet Kinyamatama as Rakai Woman MP.

Justice Nambayo will also handle the case in which NUP’s Joseph Balikundembe is challenging the victory of Lwengo District chairperson Abdu Kitata of NRM. In Mbale City, the High Court dismissed an election petition against the Eastern Youth Member of Parliament, Mr Bernard Odoi Onene Mutusa.

Mr Odoi’s victory was being challenged by Ms Sumaya Aliza Balunywa, who alleged that the former had illegally contested for the position when he was over age.

The Electoral Commission lawyer, Mr Patrick Wetaka, told journalists yesterday that Justice Cornelia Sabiti Kakooza dismissed the case on grounds that Ms Balunywa didn’t serve the first respondent (Mr Odoi)  on time as stipulated in the law.

Ms Balunywa’s lawyer, Mr Robert Bautu, however, said  they would appeal against the court judgment. “We are going to appeal next week and we shall win the case,” he said.
  
Compiled by Bill Oketch, Patrick Ebong, Felix Ainebyoona, Yahudu Kitunzi, Tausi Nakato & Malik Fahad

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