Masaka. Masaka Chief Magistrate’s Court has halted the vote recount for Bukoto East parliamentary seat .
Mr Abdullah Nkoyooyo, who lost the seat to the incumbent Florence Namayanja, applied for a vote recount, alleging there were flaws in tallying of the votes by the Electoral Commission(EC).
Court presided over by Masaka Chief Magistrate Samuel Munobe convened last Monday to study the application, but could not deliver a final decision following the absence of EC representatives.
Through her lawyers led by Mr Medard Lubega Ssegona and Mr Jude Mbabaali, Ms Namayanja challenged the petition, arguing that the applicant failed to serve the right person, which makes the hearing irregular.
According to Mr Sseggona, the applicant did not serve the EC which is the first respondent in the matter because it was solely responsible for vote tallying whose results Mr Nkoyooyo is challenging. “Court cannot proceed to give a decision on the matter in the absence of the first respondent,” Mr Sseggona pleaded.
Mr Samuel Kabega, who represented Mr Nkoyooyo, pleaded for procedure but court declined his plea, insisting on the presence of the EC officials.
The magistrate advised the applicant to serve the EC with the same notice.
Court adjourned the hearing of the petition to tomorrow .
Ms Namayanja, a DP candidate, was declared winner with 16,168 votes against Mr Nkoyooyo’s 15,775 votes, representing a difference of 393.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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