Electoral Commission Rejects Order to Pay Costs of Six MPs Who Lost Seats, Appeals

Uganda’s Independent Electoral Commission (EC) has filed a notice of appeal in the constitutional court contesting the court’s decision to overturn the election of six municipality Members of Parliament earlier this month, The Ugandan Wire has learned.

The appeal which is dated December 30, seeks to challenge the decision of the court that saw Patrick Ocan, the Apac Municipality MP, Elioda Tumwesigye of Sheema Municipality, Tarsis Rwaburindore Bishanga of Ibanda Municipality, Hashim Sulaiman of Nebbi Municipality, Asuman Basalirwa of Bugiri Municipality and Peter Abrahams Lokii of Kotido Municipality unceremoniously kicked out of the August House.

The Independent Electoral Commission, using its legal department states that they’re not okay with the decision and they intend to contest the judgement.

“That the appellant being dissatisfied with the findings of Mr Alfonse Owiny Dollo, DCJ, Mr Kenneth Kakuru, Mr FMS Egonda Ntende, Cheborion Barishaki JA and Mr Christopher Madrama of the Constitutional Court on December 27th 2019 intends to appeal against their decision.” The appeal reads in part.

The judgement in contest originates from an application filed by the former Bufumbira East MP, Eddie Kwizera challenging the legality of a number of constituencies created after the 2016 general elections. He noted that the six constituencies were illegally created by Parliament and asked court to declare them null and void.

The Independent Electoral Commission was ordered to pay half of the total costs to Kwizera for inconveniences caused and to the affected legislators who knew nothing but were duped by the Commission to participate in unlawful elections.