The Court of Appeal has nullified the election of National Resistance Movement’s (NRM’s) Andrew Martial, as Igara County East Constituency MP and ordered fresh elections.
Today, a panel of three justices led by the Deputy Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo ruled that Martial committed bribery contrary to section 61 (1) of Parliamentary Election Act (PEA). This, according to the justices, was an illegal practice.
Martial who last week stunned the National Resistance Movement establishment by denouncing the Age Limit motion was thrown out of parliament following a petition by Michael Mawanda the man he defeated in the election.
Martial polled 15983 votes in last year’s general election beating Michael Mawanda who was the incumbent MP by about 800 votes. Mawanda garnered 15091 votes.
Unsatisfied with the outcome, Mawanda took the matter to court citing electoral malpractices, including creation of non-gazetted polling stations, ballot stuffing, intimidation, defamation by agents of his opponent and bribery, among others.
