MP losers flood Soroti court seeking vote recount

Ms Monica Amoding

What you need to know:

  • In the newly created Gweri County, Mr Etunganane lost with 6,462 votes against FDC’s Ekudo who got 7,456 votes. He alleges electoral violence against his supporters.

Seven parliamentary candidates from Teso Sub-region who lost in the January 14 General Election have rushed to Soroti Magistrate’s Court, seeking vote recounts.

They include Ms Juliet Achayo Lodou (NRM) against Mr David Abala (Ind MP-elect for Ngora County), Mr Julius Ochen (Ind) against Mr Anthony Esenu, NRM MP-elect for Kapelebyong County, Ms Monica Amoding (Ind) against Ms Christine Apolot (NRM MP-elect for Kumi) and Mr Solomon Ossiya (NRM candidate for Toroma county) against Mr Joseph Andrew Kolou, (Ind).
Others are Mr Kenneth Esiangu Etunganane against FDC’s Tom Julius Ekudo, Ms Florence Adupo , a former Kapelebyong Woman candidate (FDC) and  Mr Samuel Eninu, an Independent, who got 6,001 votes against Mr Patrick Aeku (NRM) who garnered  6,481 votes.

Ms Monica Amuno, the Chief Magistrate,  however, quashed Ms Achayo’s petition, citing lack of evidence.
Ms Achayo vowed to petition Soroti High Court.
She polled 7,513 votes against  Mr Abala’s  8,317 votes .  
Ms Amoding, the incumbent Kumi Woman MP got 29,292 votes against Ms Apolot’s 35,152 votes.

In the newly created Gweri County, Mr Etunganane lost with 6,462 votes against FDC’s Ekudo who got 7,456 votes. He alleges electoral violence against his supporters.
Ms Adupo, who lost to Ms Jacinta Atuto  (NRM) claims the results that were handed to her rival are hers.
“Everyone knew that Atuto was distant third, trailing me with more 4,000 votes. Ms Atuto polled 7,596 votes against Ms Adupo’s 7,472 votes.

Mr Ochen got 4,000 votes against Mr Esenu who garnered 8,000 votes. Mr Ochen cited irregularities.
Mr Eninu claimed that the results that were handed to Mr Aeku are not known to any candidate who was in the race.
“Many of our supporters who are against the results have been arrested, and incarcerated for exercising their constitutional mandate against unlawfully elected MP,”  he said.
Ms Amuno promised to give the aggrieved parties a fair hearing, and advised them to seek redress in the High Court.