The High Court in Masaka has dismissed an election petition filed by National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Hellen Nakeeya, who challenged Aisha Ssekindi’s victory in the Kalungu District Woman Member of Parliament elections.
In a ruling delivered via email, Justice Bernard Namanya said Nakeeya had failed to present sufficient evidence to substantiate her allegations that electoral irregularities had affected the outcome of the election.
The judge noted that Nakeeya had failed to identify specific polling stations in Bukulula Sub-county where she alleged that votes had not been counted.
Nakeeya also alleged that violence and intimidation had marred the election, claiming that some of her supporters, including Gerald Katumba and Frank Muyingo, had died, while others sustained injuries. She argued that these incidents had affected her electoral performance and contributed to her defeat.
However, the court found that Nakeeya had not presented sufficient evidence to prove that the alleged killings and acts of intimidation had occurred. She also failed to demonstrate that she had notified the Electoral Commission about the alleged incidents.
Justice Namanya cited these shortcomings in dismissing the petition and ordered each party to bear its own legal costs.
Nakeeya contested the Kalungu District Woman MP seat on the NRM ticket against four other candidates, including National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Shakira Zzinga Namiiro and Democratic Front (DF) candidate Aisha Nuluyati Waligo. Ssekindi contested as an independent candidate.
Kalungu District Returning Officer Teddy Nabukenya declared Ssekindi the winner with 25,773 votes, followed by Zzinga Namiiro, who garnered 20,966 votes.
Nakeeya finished third with 5,498 votes, while Waligo came fourth with 1,810 votes.