Igeme Nabeta runs to court, seeks to annul Mwiru's election
HAKIM KANYERE- The NRM candidate in just concluded Jinja East By election Nathan Igeme Nabeta has sued his political nemesis Paul Mwiru who was declared winner.
Through his lawyers of Crane Associated Advocates Igeme officially lodged a petition at Jinja High Court on Wednesday evening.
Our impeccable sources in the NRM camp intimated to us that their grounds for their petition include altering of the voters register and other electoral malpractice like voter intimidation and bribery, which they blame on Mwiru's cmap.
The petition has stirred debate on most social media platforms in and around Busoga sub region with some legal minds doubting whether Igeme shall have a good case to argue in court.
George Mutyabule, a lawyer, wondered why Igeme would sue Mwiru individually and leave the Electoral Commission which presided over the by election.
On 15th March 2018 people of Jinja East went to the polls in a hotly contested by election that attracted 8 candidates.
The by-election which some electoral observers said was marred with outrageous violence, intimidation, voter bribery and other electoral malpractices was won by Mwiru who garnered 6,654 votes against Nabeta's 5,043 votes.
A day after Mwiru's victory, NRM officials led by the Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba contested the outcome of the election and revealed they had intentions to petition court to challenge the election.
Nabeta was controversially declared winner on 21st February 2016, four days after the election amidst chaos and teargas that rocked Jinja town.
After these ugly scenes, Mwiru Paul went back to High court and successfully won the petition.
Court presided over Justice Lydia Mugambe declared him winner and ordered Parliament to swear him in as the legally
elected Member of Parliament for Jinja.
No sooner had court declared Paul Mwiru as winner than NRM's Nathan Igeme Nabeta ordered his lawyers to make an appeal in the appellant court which overturned the High court's decision.
The three Justices of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Steven Kavuma, ordered for fresh election which was won by FDC's Paul Mwiru on 15th March 2015.
Nabeta's going back to court to challenge the results of the by election is a signal that the Jinja East battle is not yet over.
