Kalungu East MP-elect Katabaazi runs to court to block Minister Ssempijja vote recount

KALUNGU, UGANDA: Elected Member of Parliament for Kalungu East Mr Francis Katabaazi Katongole of the National Unity Platform has filed an application seeking to block Minister Sempijja’s vote recount contested 25 polling stations.

Masaka chief magistrate Charles Yeteise on Monday granted an application seeking for a vote recount filed by NRM’s Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja who lost the seat to Katabaazi of the NUP.

Mr. Ssempijja, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, told court that his agents at the 25 contested polling stations were dismissed from the polling stations which gave a chance to NUP’s Katabazi and his camp to rig votes in his favor costing him victory

However Katabaazi through his lawyer, Chrysostom Katumba, contested the decision by the court by filing a court injunction seeking to block the vote recount.

Through his lawyer, Katabaazi said that they showed all reasons why there is no need to conduct a recount but they were surprised by the magistrate’s decision in favour of the minister.

However the minister’s lawyer, Geoffrey Kandebe, said he was optimistic that Katabaazi’s application seeking stay of vote recount will be quashed because Katabaazi’s side can’t raise convincing reasons to have it granted in their favor.

Masaka chief magistrate Charles Yeteise fixed the hearing of the application seeking to block vote recount today.

Mr Ssempijja recently blamed the National Resistance Movement (NRM)’s dismal performance in Buganda Sub-region during the January 14 elections to the Catholic Church and Buganda Kingdom who he claims had worked hard to ensure that he doesn’t retain his MP seat.