The High Court in Masaka has dismissed an election petition filed by National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Rose Naluboowa, who challenged the vote recount and the declaration of Justine Nameere as the Masaka City Woman Member of Parliament.
In his ruling, Justice Bernard Namanya found that although the recount was conducted in violation of electoral laws following the compromise of the integrity of some electoral materials, Naluboowa failed to prove that the figures certified by the Chief Magistrate were incorrect.
“The petitioner further failed to prove that the exclusion of 1,353 actual votes cast by the electorate affected the election result in a substantial manner,” Justice Namanya ruled.
The judge said the irregularities surrounding the recount were not, on the evidence presented, sufficient to establish that the outcome of the election had been substantially affected.
Naluboowa had challenged the recount process and Nameere’s declaration as the winner of the Masaka City Woman MP race.
Despite identifying non-compliance with electoral laws during the recount, the court dismissed the petition after finding that the petitioner had not demonstrated that the disputed figures or the exclusion of the 1,353 votes materially affected the result.
The court also ordered Naluboowa to pay the costs of the petition.
The ruling leaves Nameere’s election victory undisturbed by the petition.
