Joel Ogwang
4 May 2008
Kampala — BUIKWE South MP-elect Dr. Lulume Bayiga has urged his rival Anthony Mukasa to petition court if he has any doubts on the outcome of the April 30 by-elections.
Citing his own challenge of Mukasa's victory that led to the nullification of the former MP's 2006 election, Lulume said court would give him justice.
"I lost in 2001 and waited for 2006 (elections). If Mukasa is a leader, he should be a good loser and accept defeat. My victory is genuine, not kiwani (fake). I am ready to prove it in court."
The Mukono district returning officer, Ibrahim Kakembo, last week said Lulume of the Democratic Party polled 12,500 votes ahead of Mukasa's 8,359.
Mukasa later said his party (NRM) would sit and decide the way forward. He, however, did not rule out going to court because "some DP officials were arrested distributing items to voters.
Lulume, who was last week celebrating his victory with supporters in Buikwe town, hailed President Yoweri Museveni for campaigning for Mukasa, but boasted that he was too strong for NRM.
He urged the President not to 'dump' Mukasa in the wake of Buikwe's elevation to a district.
During the campaigns, Museveni who was convincing the people to vote Mukasa in Ssi sub-county, promised to support Buikwe's bid to become a district.
"The President always finds 'space' for NRM (MP) losers and in most cases, appoints them resident district commissioners. Mukasa, being a son of the soil, should be the new Buikwe RDC," Lulume couselled.
He, however, pledged to work with Mukasa to develop the area.
Abdallah Kimbowa and Allan Gitta who polled 219 and 171 votes, respectively, conceded defeat.
"We (losers) should now join hands and work with Lulume," Kimbowa explained.
But Gitta claimed that he had opted out of the election on President Museveni's orders.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 New Vision. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
