KYADONDO: The ruling National Resistance Movement tribunal looking into petitions arising out of the September 4 party primaries has ruled that Godfrey Aine Kaguta, also known as Sodo a brother to President Museveni was not rightly elected as the Mawogola North constituency party flag bearer.
With a day left to the end of the nomination exercise, the tribunal ruling means that Kaguta cannot be duly nominated as the NRM flag bearer in Mawogola North until his election in the primaries is cleared
In a close to call election last month, Sodo polled 17,343 votes against Shartsi Kutesa’s 16,104 votes whereas Salim Kisekka got 4274 votes.
According to the results announced, Kaguta beat his closest rival by 1,239 votes.
However, Shartsi Kutesa appealed before the NRM tribunal citing a number of irregularities.
According to the ruling of the tribunal, there were incidents of violence and ferrying of voters and that votes in some areas can’t stand.
“While the margin between the two candidates according to the district registrar is 1580 votes, several incidents stand out to show substantial effect on the election,” the tribunal headed by Enoch Barata ruled.
According to the tribunal whereas they had been asked to order for a re-election in the affected villages, the same cannot be done because of the nomination of parliamentary candidates has already kicked off.
“All in all, the tribunal finds that the actual winner of the election cannot be established in light of the irregularities enumerated. Consequently, it is the decision of the tribunal that the petition succeeds. However, without proper exercise of voter franchise, the tribunal is not able to pronounce a winner of the election as indeed the vote did not,” the tribunal said.
Consequently, the matter has been forwarded to the NRM Central Executive Committee to decide the fate of the two candidates.
The development comes on the backdrop of a meeting between the two parties and President Museveni at his private farm in Kisozi, Gomba district on Wednesday.
Details of the outcome of the meeting have since remained scanty