The Electoral Commission in Busia District has declared Geoffrey Wandera as the validly elected chairman for the district after two other candidates decided to quit the race.
In a declaration form signed by Busia Returning Officer, Umar Kiyimba, Wandera was elected unopposed, being the only remaining candidate in the race.
“I Kiyimba Umar being the Returning Officer for Busia Electoral District, pursuant to section 172 of the Local Government Act and section 19A of the parliamentary elections Act hereby declare Wandera Geoffrey as elected unopposed for chairperson, Busia District being the only remaining candidate,” the statement reads in part.
Wandera had remained in the race with other independent candidates Tony Ojambo and Chrispus Bwire but they withdrew their candidature.
Earlier, the Electoral Commission had disqualified opposition joint candidate Deogratias Hasubi Njoki after his name was found missing in the voters’ register thus ineligible for nomination.
According to a letter to Njoki from the Simon Byabakama Mugenyi, Njoki was nominated under the names; Hasubi Deogratius Njoki, yet the said particulars are not in the voters’ register.
“In the view of the above, the Commission under MIN. CM360/2018resolved that the person nominated under the names Hasubi Deogratius Njoki is not a registered voter under the National Voters’ register and thus, overturned the returning officers’ decision to have you nominated for the Busia District Chairperson elective position.”
“By copy of this communication, both the complainant and returning officer, Busia Electoral Commission are notified accordingly.”
Njoki’s trouble follow a complaint from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) which wrote to the Electoral Commission requesting to have Njoki disqualified from the race.
Also kicked out of the race was Ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer in the Busia LC V by-elections, Oguttu Boniface Paul.
Oguttu was kicked out by the Electoral Commission after it was discovered that his names did not match those on the academic papers he presented.
“Pursuant to Section 15 of the Electoral Commission Act, Laws of Uganda, after hearing the parties on 23rd November, 2018, the Electoral Commission under MIN CM361/2018 has cancelled the nomination of Oguttu Boniface Paul as a candidate for the district chairperson, Busia District on grounds that the names in the nomination papers he presented during nominations do not match the names on the requisite academic documents accompanying his nomination papers,” a statement from EC chairman Simon Byabakama reads.
