NEBBI – The High Court in Nebbi on Thursday morning nullified the election victory of NRM’s Hashim Rashid as the duly elected Member of Parliament for Nebbi Municipality.
This followed a successful petition filled by FDC’s Onega Robert who challenged the authenticity of the academic papers of NRM’s Hashim Rashid and rigging.
Justice Ojuko Anthony Ojok agreed with the petitioner, Mr Onega, and nullified the election of Mr Rashid, saying he was illegally nominated as he lacked authentic academic papers.
Justice Ojuko Anthony ordered for a by-election in Nebbi Municipality.
As Mr Onega celebrated with his supporters outside court, Uganda Police force swung into action and immediately arrested him with an attempt to block jubilation in Nebbi town. Mr Onega was represented in the case by Mr Erias Lukwago.
The victory is significant for FDC that seeks to have more numbers in Parliament that is dominated by the ruling NRM party members.
In March, the High Court in Kabale dismissed an election petition against Forum for Democratic Change’s Rukungiri woman Member of Parliament, Betty Bamukwatsa Muzanira.
Muzanira’s victory was challenged by National Resistance Movement candidate Winfred Matsiko on 31st May, 2018.
Matsiko alleged that the process was marred by electoral related irregularities and that Muzanira’s victory was aided by voter bribery, intimidation, and failure by the electoral commission to organize the poll in a free and fair manner.
However, Justice Moses Kawumi Kazibwe, the Kabale resident judge, while delivering his judgment, said that Matsiko failed to produce substantial evidence pinning Muzanira or showing how the electoral body failed on its part to conduct a free and fair election.
Thursday’s victory also serves to comfort FDC after the High Court in Mbarara in February dismissed a petition filed the FDC contestant in Sheema Municipality elections, Ms Plan Virginia Mugyenyi, who sought to nullify the victory of Science and Technology Minister Dr. Elioda Tumwesigye in the hotly contested elections.
Ms Mugyenyi had in her petition filed on September 5 last year challenging the validity of the election outcomes had been held on July 27, 2018 argued that it was marred by bribery, violence and torture and illegal arrests of her supporters and agents.
But in the ruling read by Justice Joyce Kavuma on behalf of the trial judge Andrew Bashaija, the court found no merit in Ms Mugyenyi’s allegations. The court also dismissed allegations of rigging.
