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Court throws out election petition against Lira District Woman MP
Lira Woman MP, Ms Linda Agnes Auma. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- “An advocate is required to assist court in reaching a proper decision and not to mislead court by intentionally giving false information,” Justice Mugabo cautioned.
High Court in Lira City Tuesday dismissed a petition challenging the election of Lira District Woman Member of Parliament, Linda Agnes Auma.
The petition filed by Bony Aliro, the NRM youth chairperson for Aromo Sub-county had ‘‘sought for the declaration that Auma was not duly nominated and elected as Woman Member of Parliament (MP) for Lira District.’’
In the case that appeared before Justice, Mr Vincent Emmy Mugabo, the petitioner asked court to set aside Auma’s election and have the second runner-up of the February election declared duly elected woman MP.
Further, the petitioner asked court to order Auma to pay the costs of the petition and any other remedy available under the law as the court may deem fit and appropriate.
However, after court granted the petitioner access to inspect and obtain Auma’s bank records, Ms Auma’s lawyer raised a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the petition.
Ms Auma’s lawyer, Paul Edambi, told court that: “The supporting list has names of voters with their national ID names, and not voter’s numbers as required by the law. Some of the signatures are similar appearing in the same column and none of the national IDs were attached.”
He further described the petition as malicious and intended to waste court’s time.
Justice Mugabo August 24 ruled that the petition had anomalies and lacked requirements as required by the law.
“It would have been helpful for the supporters of the petition to attach their National IDs for the court and the respondents to verify the signatures. To make matters worse, there are no extract forms of Lira Constituent registers or even slip which could place them as registered voters,” he stated.
“The petitioner and the supporters cannot be taken as registered voters of Lira constituency since they did not present proof of being registered voters,” he added.
The court also heard that the petitioner’s lawyer had also tried to mislead court, in an exercise which determines constitutional rights of many people.
“An advocate is required to assist court in reaching a proper decision and not to mislead court by intentionally giving false information,” Justice Mugabo cautioned.
He ruled: “For that reason, the petition is accordingly dismissed. For the position in regards to costs, I find no justifiable reasons not to grant all successful parties costs. For that reason, I award costs to the first and the second respondent.”
Ms Auma welcomed the ruling, saying his lawyers will work out on the costs awarded by court.
“I was genuinely voted by the people of Lira District. The petitioner was being influenced by the second runner-up. They were trying to test the power of the people of Lira District,” Ms Auma echoed.
“When you have a bad heart God can confuse you. They put national ID numbers instead of voter numbers. The law will take its cause, the law will now face the petitioner and he will know whether the person who pushed him is a true leader,” she added.
Mr Aliro described the ruling as ‘surprising’.
“I am surprised because I presented all the required documents. Maybe I will sit with my lawyers for the way forward,” he said.
