Court Sets Date for Hearing of Bunyangabu Election Petition

The High Court in Fort Portal has set September 13 as the date for the hearing of an election petition filed against the Bunyangabu County Member of Parliament Davis Kamukama.

Last week, voters in Bunyangabu led by Robert Alinatwe, the former Buhesi Sub-county councillor decided to inherit a petition by Patrick Murungi Zeresere challenging the victory of Kamukama.  

Murungi contested and lost to Kamukama. He garnered 2,262 votes against Kamukama’s 31,353 votes. Murungi then petitioned Fort Portal High Court contesting Kamukama’s election on grounds he lacks the requisite Advanced level certificate or its equivalent for election as a Member of Parliament.  

However, recently, Murungi wrote to the High Court through his lawyer Robert Mugabe indicating that he lost interest in the petition.

Last week, Alinatwe wrote to the court to allow them to take over the petition with immediate effect in a bid to find fair representation in Parliament.

The High Court Registrar Francis Matenga says that the petition will be heard by Justice Jesse Byaruhanga. 

The High Court in Fort Portal is also hearing a petition filed against the Ntoroko District Woman MP Anna Mary Tumwine by her rival Jennifer Mujungu. Mujungu accuses Tumwine of rigging the elections.

Last month, the High Court completed the hearing of an election petition filed against Busongora South MP Gideon Mujungu Thembo. Mujungu, the National Resistance Movement -NRM party candidate won the parliamentary race with 7,601 votes, defeating his main challenger Jackson Mbaju who got 7,522 votes and eight others.

But Mbaju petitioned the court to challenge the outcome of the polls citing cases of voter bribery, ballot stuffing and the existence of ghost voters of the register. The ruling on the petition will be delivered on October 25.