Uganda: High Court Hears Petition Challenging Kenan Opio's Busiro South Victory

The High Court in Entebbe has commenced hearing a petition challenging the election of National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Kenan Opio as the Member of Parliament for Busiro South.

The petition was filed by former National Unity Platform (NUP) MP Charles Matovu, who is contesting Opio's victory in the recently concluded parliamentary election.

Matovu's petition raises questions about the conduct of the election, including allegations that the Electoral Commission and the army aided Opio in securing victory. The allegations have been disputed, and the court is expected to examine evidence presented by both sides before making a determination.

The hearing, presided over by High Court Judge sitting in Entebbe, Justice Jameson Kalemani Kalemera, attracted supporters of the ruling NRM, who gathered at the court premises and sang songs praising the credibility of the election.

During the proceedings, Matovu's lawyer, Samuel Muyizi Mulindwa, asked the court to consider key electoral materials which, he said, could help establish what transpired during the election.

Muyizi told court that his legal team had requested the Electoral Commission to provide materials, including scanned documents and declaration of results forms used during the election.

"We have asked the Electoral Commission to provide us with the scanners and declaration of results forms that were used during the election," Muyizi told court.

Lawyers representing Kenan Opio, led by Andrew Kilyowa of KK Kilyowa Advocates, maintained that the required evidence had been presented within the stipulated time.

Kilyowa told court that the parties had complied with the court's directions and urged the judge not to allow the proceedings to be unnecessarily prolonged.

The court has adjourned the matter to September 25, when Justice Kalemani is expected to deliver a ruling on an application concerning the electoral materials and other evidence sought in the petition.

The decision will be closely watched in Busiro South, where the petition has generated significant interest among political actors and residents as the court considers whether the allegations raised by Matovu have sufficient grounds to affect the declared election results.

Read the original article on Nile Post.