By Kabuye Ronald
High Court Judge in Mubende Emmanuel Baguma has nullified the election of Joyce Bagala Ntwatwa as the Women’s Representative for Mityana District and ordered for fresh elections.
The ruling followed a petition by Judith Nabakooba, the Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, who came second in the election on grounds of bribing the electorate.
In his ruling Justice Baguma said that Nabakooba adduced sufficient evidence proving that Joyce Bagala through her agents, with her knowledge and consent or approval committed the electoral offence of bribery. He also slapped Bagala with costs.
Bagala who stood on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket trounced the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) sponsored candidate Nabakooba in the January 14 elections as she was declared winner by the Mityana District Returning officer, Mr Stephen Makubuya with 64,305 votes. The minister who was the incumbent came second with 48,078 votes.
The Lands Minister is sued Bagala jointly with EC accusing them of failing to ensure secure conditions necessary for the conduct of the election since the registered voters were variously threatened making them fail to exercise their right to vote freely or not at all.
Nabakooba asserted that EC’s presiding officers connived with Bagala and her agents to execute a well-organized scheme, procure prohibited persons to vote, facilitate impersonation of voters, multiple voting by unauthorized persons, voting by unregistered persons.
She also cited out intimidation of her agents, invalidation of valid votes cast for her, obstruction of voters, bribery of voters and giving voters pre-ticked ballot papers indicating Bagala as the voted candidate.
