FDC Goes To Court Over Soroti East By-Election Loss

Posted by: Kyeyune Andrew Jonathan in Uganda politics August 2, 2022

Opposition party, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), has said it had started compiling evidence in the by-election in Soroti East with which they will petition court challenging the results.

Christine Eyu, the Soroti District returning officer declared Mr. Herbert Edmund Ariko from NRM as the winner of the by-election. He garnered 9,257 votes against Mr. Moses Attan Okia (FDC) who got 8,544.

At the FDC offices in Najjanankumbi yesterday, deputy spokesperson of FDC, Mr John Kikonyogo, said the party does not accept the by-election results. He made these remarks as they addressed the press.

“The heightened election, which we believe was won by Mr. Attan, was marred with grave irregularities including massive ballot stuffing, voter bribery, intimidation, and imprisonment [of agents] by state machinery,’’ Mr Kikonyogo said.

He said they declined to accept the results and revealed that they are gathering evidence to take their case to court.

According to him, 100 FDC-affiliated people including the party president himself were arrested before and during the elections. Up to now, about 15 of their supporters are still missing.

The FDC party president, Mr. Patrick Amuriat Oboi, reiterated the party position of July 28 saying it was a sham election.

“We were detained in East Kyoga headquarters and we were later transferred to Dokolo until Sunday when we were released. We were detained on the orders of the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja,” Mr Amuriat said.

He also said despite Mr. Ariko emerging the election victor, he will not be the MP of Soroti East. This is because he did not win the majority vote.

At the same conference, the FDC party called for the resignation of the executive director of the Uganda Media Centre, Mr Ofwono Opondo. This is as a result of the altercation with the FDC deputy president and Lord Mayor Erica’s Lukwago.

The two had a verbal exchange that resulted in a fistfight on television last week . Mr. Kikonyogo said it was prudent for Mr. Opondo to resign after the incident for failure to control his emotions.

Police has since summoned Mr. Opondo to record a statement. He is yet to respond to calls for his resignation.

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