Former minister Ssempijja runs to court after losing election.
Photo courtesy; Daily Monitor
By Mike Sebalu
Kalungu East Constituency parliamentary election loser Vincent Sempijja has dragged the winner and the Electoral Commission to court claiming he was robbed of his victory.
The former defence minister, who had contested on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket lost to the National Platform’s (NUP) Yusuf Nkerentanyi, ran to court seeking an order for a vote recount claiming that the election was marred by gross irregularities.
The case is before Masaka Chief Magistrate Herbert Asiimwe and hearing kicked off on Thursday afternoon.
Yusuf Kiruruta won the Kalungu East Constituency MP seat beating 5 opponents including the incumbent Francis Katabazi, a victory that Ssempijja contests on grounds of alleged gross election irregularities.
Following Kiruruta (NUP) polled 15,473, Katabazi got 649, Sempijja (NRM) polled 13,219, independents Deogratious Katongole got 637, Iren Nanyazi got 485, DFs Mathias Kintu got 189, and DPs Asuman Kabonge got 90 votes.
In a separate development, the hearing of a vote recount application for the Kassanda North Constituency election commenced this afternoon at the Mubende Chief Magistrate’s Court. The application was filed by Isaac Kamulegeya of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), who is challenging the victory of Patrick Nsamba in the recent re-election for Member of Parliament for Kassanda North.
Kamulegeya is seeking a recount of the votes cast in the constituency, arguing that the declared results do not accurately reflect the will of the electorate.
