The civil division of the high court has on Monday 16th August started the hearing of election petition cases related to MPs and local council –lc in the recently concluded general elections.
32 judges were recently appointed by the Principal Judge Dr. Flavian Zeijato to handle all the 155 petitions in a period of 1 month countrywide.
The Judiciary Public Relations Officer, Jamson Karemani, says the judges have been unevenly distributed considering the number of petitions per region.
6 judges will handle the Mbale High Court Circuit that registered 31 petitions, the highest number, 4 judges handle the Jinja Circuit, and Civil Division, 4 will also oversee the Luwero Circuit,3 in Fortportal high court.
Masaka, Masindi, Mbarara and Soroti High Courts have been allocated two judges each.
Meanwhile, other regions like Gulu, Mukono, Mpigi, Kabale and Lira High courts will each have one judge.
Karemani, says the Judiciary has allocated Shillings 1.2 billion to hear the petitions within 30 days as stipulated in the law.
Here are some of the notable petitions to look out for;
NUP’s Nyanzi Vs Nsereko For Kampala Central Seat
Unrelenting NUP’s Fred Nyanzi has challenged Nsereko to a court battle for the Kampala Central MP seat whose outcome we all await to see.
Nyanzi also a brother to the NUP strong man Bobi wine petitioned the high court for fresh elections after citing irregularities at various polling stations in Kampala.
He cited the failure by the Electoral Commission to ensure that the tallying is done in accordance with Electoral laws, the failure by the presiding officers to submit results from seven polling stations, and inconsistencies in the number of votes presented on the declaration of result forms, among others.
The High Court in Kampala trashed a request by Nyanzi Ssentamu to use newspapers or the court notice board to serve the Kampala Central MP-Elect Muhammad Nsereko documents seeking to overturn his victory.
Nyanzi told the court that all reasonable efforts were made to effect personal service to Nsereko without success.
He, therefore, asked for substituted service such that a copy of the petition can be pinned on the court notice board and for an extension of time to effect service.
Justice Odoki granted him seven more days to look for Nsereko and serve him personally.
Nsereko, an independent, polled 16,998 Votes, against Nyanzi’s 15,975 votes.
Mr Updates Segirinya muhammed Vs Kidandala
People’s favorite Segirinya Muhammed was served with papers at the Kitalya Govt prison challenging the Kawempe North parliamentary elections.
Sulaiman Kidandala Serwadda, claims Mr updates faked his academic qualifications to secure himself the MP seat.
Kidandala in his petition to the high court maintains that Ssegirinya lacks the Ordinary and Advanced certificates and is, therefore, ineligible for election as MP.
He claims that Ssegirinya used the academic documents of Nampiima Sarah for “O” Level and Nabadda Maureen for “A” level and wants the High court to stop him from swearing-in and consequently order the Electoral Commission to organize fresh elections for Kawempe North.
He also claims that Ssegirinya is not a registered voter anywhere in the country and failed to obtain the names and signatures of a minimum of ten registered voters in Kawempe North to support his nomination.
Former Speaker of Parliament Kadaga -NRM Vs FDC’S Salaamu Musumba
A visibly frustrated Musumba run to the Jinja high court challenging Kadaga on grounds that the election was marred with several irregularities like ballot stuffing, bribery, forceful voter inflation among others
Musumba petitioned the high court to declare the January 14th polls null and void and order a re-run.
Kadaga polled 92,388 votes against Musumba’s 26,851
Lands Minister Nabakooba v Bagala In Mityana race
Judith Nabakooba the Minister for lands petitioned the Mubende High Court seeking to overturn the victory of former journalist and Mityana District Woman MP-elect Joyce Bagala.
Nabakooba accuses the Electoral Commission (EC) and Bagala of conspiring to steal her victory.
She also accuses Bagala of bribing voters and using security operatives to intimidate her voters.
Bagala polled 64,305 votes against Nabakooba’s 48,078 votes
Mukesh vs Ssenyonyi For Nakawa West
Prominent City tycoon Shukla Mukesh Babubhai petitioned the high court seeking fresh elections following irregularities on the part of his rival NUP’s Joel Ssenyonyi.
In his petition, Mukesh accuses Ssenyonyi of ballot stuffing, voter bribery, and the Electoral commission-EC of falsification of electoral results .
He claims the EC used Declaration of Result forms (DR Forms) that were not signed or witnessed by the presiding officers to declare Ssenyonyi winner.
Martin Henry Bazanya v Richard Ssebamala
Martin Henry Bazanya, beat the former vice president Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi to win the Bukoto Central constituency MP seat in the January 14 elections.
However,a voter in Bukoto Central constituency contested the election of the Democratic Party’s (DP) Richard Ssebamala.
Ssebamala, who has also already expressed interest in running for speakership won Vice President Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi in the January 14 elections.
He claims Ssebamala is not on the voting register and therefore cannot be involved in the polls, he wants the results annulled.
Wanyoto v Galiwango
Wanyoto has taken her rivals Connie Nakayanze Galiwango to court seeking a nullification of the elections that declared her winner with 10,000 votes.
Wanyoto claims Galiwango’s Mbale City woman MP victory was marred by ballot stuffing and multiple voting in most polling stations.
The Parliamentary and Elections Act, Section 63 (2), demands that once the hearing of an election petition starts, the judgment should be passed within 30 days.
However, the law provides for the extension of the hearing period if there are unique circumstances that demand so.
