Court of Appeal has overturned High Court judge David Batema’s judgement in which he had ordered for fresh elections for the Luweero Woman MP seat. High Court ruling nullified NRM candidate Lilian Nakate’s win after DP’s Brenda Nabukenya challenged the election citing a number of illegalities. However, Nakate challenged High Court’s verdict in Court of Appeal. The three judge Steven Kavuma, Paul Mugamba and Alfonsi Dollo ruled that Nabukenya failed to prove beyond reasonable that there was voter bribery and election malpractices during the elections. The judges pointed out that Nabukenya’s claim that Galikwoleka polling station was taken over by hooligans who forced the presiding officer to vacate the station, was not fully proven since voting had already been concluded and the sub county supervisor with immediate effect appointed a Polling Assistant to take over. “The nullification of elections therefore was unjustifiable; (Nakate) is the validly elected Woman Member of Parliament for Luweero district,” they ruled. The judges ordered Nabukenya to pay Nakate’s costs from both the lower court as well as Court of Appeal.
