Agule County MP kicked out of parliament as court orders fresh elections

Agule County, Paliisa district MP Polycarp Ogware has been kicked out of parliament after his election was nullified by the High court in Mbale over bribery and intimidation.

Justice Moses Kazibwe ordered for fresh elections following a successful petition by David Ochwa against Ogware. Last year, the Electoral Commission declared Ogware, an independent-leaning candidate as the winner with 7,190 votes followed by Ochwa who stood on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party ticket and obtained 6,908 votes.

Dissatisfied with the results, Ochwa petitioned Mbale High court on grounds that the election was held amidst incidences of bribery and intimidation of voters by Ogware.

However, justice Dr Andrew Bashaija dismissed the case on grounds that the affidavit in support of the petition sworn by James Nadhongha was invalid and incompetent since the commissioner of oaths whom he had sworn the affidavit in support of the petition did not possess a valid practising certificate at the time.

Dissatisfied, Ochwa decided to challenge the High court decision in the Court of Appeal. In April, the Court of Appeal ordered for fresh hearing of the election petition. Last week, justice Kazibwe ruled that the court was satisfied with the evidence presented by Ochwa. He noted that Ogware and the Electoral Commission failed to follow the electoral procedures.

“The elections were characterized by intimidation and bribery, and the Electoral Commission, was aware but kept silent and failed to act in accordance to the electoral laws,” Kazibwe ruled.