By Andrew Irumba
The political quagmire that has been the face of Arua Municipality in recent times since the jailing of MP Akbar Godi (FDC), the brutal assassination of Col.Ibrahim Abiriga (NRM) and now finally the gruesome events that brought the newly elected MP Ezati Kassiano Wadri (FDC leaning) seems too far from ending!
While the rest of other Ugandans had thought that Arua Municipality was about to pacify and heal from the recent volatile by-elections following the gruesome murder of Col. Ibrahim Abiriga, Nusura Tiperu an NRM candidate who lost in the race has gone to Court!
TheSpy Uganda can authoritatively confirm that Tiperu, also a former MP in the East African Legislative Assembly [EALA]’s case has now been successfully fixed for hearing.
This is after she petitioned court seeking the nullification of results for the polls held on Wednesday 15th August 2018.
“TAKE NOTICE that this Appeal has been fixed for mention on the 14th day of November 2018 at 09:00am O’clock m the fore/afternoon or as soon thereafter as the case can be heard in this Court. If no appearance is made on your behalf by yourself, your pleader or someone by law authorized to act for you, the case will be heard and decided in your absence. Given under my hand and the seal of the Court this 2nd day of November 2018,” read court summonses served to Kassiano and Electoral Commission.
In her submission, Tiperu jointly sued Wadri and Electoral commission for various electoral malpractices, according to her.
Tiperu was beaten by Kassiano Ezati Wadri, also former Terego County MP, with 6,421 votes against her 4,798 votes.
However, through her Lawyers – Birungi, Barata and Associates, Tiperu contends that the elections were characterized by irregularities ranging from violence, intimidation, multiple registrations, voter bribery and denial of equal opportunity during the campaign period by the Electoral Commission.
“The petitioner maintains that the said acts of violence and intimidation contravened provisions of the Parliamentary Elections Act and had the effect of compelling an overwhelming number of voters from voting in the by-elections,” reads the petition.
In her petition, Tiperu prays that the Court orders that there was non-compliance with the Parliamentary Elections Act leading to failure to conduct the elections in accordance with the principles laid down in those provisions.
According to her, noncompliance and failure affected results of the elections in a substantial manner and demands that the results should be declared null and void. The Arua High Court has now set the date for the hearing to start.
