Soroti: High court upholds election of Toroma MP

By John Ogulei

The High Court sitting in Soroti has upheld the election of Toroma County Member of Parliament Joseph Andrew Koluo (independent).

Koluo’s victory was challenged by Solomon Osiya (NRM) after he was declared victor with 9,179 votes against Osiya’s 8,013 votes.

In his petition Osiya claimed that the elections were not conducted in accordance with principles and provisions laid out in the electoral laws and this affected the outcome in a substantial manner.

Osiya also faulted the Electoral Commission for failure to conduct free and fair elections contending that there were illegal practices and offences committed in connection with the election of the preferred candidate.

While delivering her ruling, Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga ruled that the petition lacked merit and there was no substantive evidence to prove many of the grounds.

"In circumstances of this case, I find it moot to proceed with analysing evidence in support of a petition that has collapsed. The striking out of the petition, automatically renders all the evidence in support irrelevant,” Justice Okuo ruled.