The Electoral Commission has issued a notice of appeal in the Constitutional Court challenging the court’s judgment that invalidated the election of Members of Parliament in the new municipalities.
In the appeal dated December 30, the commission through its legal department says it was dissatisfied with the decision and they want to contest the judgment.
Last week, the five Constitutional Court justices annulled the election of Asuman Basalirwa, Bugiri Municipality, Elioda Tumwesigye, Sheema Municipality, Patrick Ocan, the Apac Municipality Member of Parliament, Hashim Sulaiman, Nebbi Municipality, Peter Abrahams Lokii, Kotido Municipality, and Tarsis Rwaburindore Bishanga, Ibanda Municipality.
The judges explained that much as Parliament has the power to divide Uganda into so many constituencies and the Electoral Commission is charged with a duty to ensure that each constituency is represented in Parliament, this can only be done during a General Election or in a case of a by-election after the speaker of Parliament announces an existing vacancy.
This followed an application filed by Eddie Kwizera the former Bufumbira East MP, defying the legality of a number of constituencies created after the 2016 general elections.
Kwizera argued that the six constituencies were illegally created by parliament and asked the court to declare them null and void.
Electoral Commission has since been ordered to pay half of the total costs to Kwizera for inconveniences caused to the six MPS who knew nothing but were victimized by the Commission to participate in unlawful elections.
