The court found that there were four different results for the two candidates leading to the confusion.
Achayo was first declared winner of the Ngora County elections with 9,517 votes. Abala who had garnered 9,226 votes was instead declared winner by the Electoral Commission in Kampala.
The petitions are from Dodoth East Constituency in Kaabong District, Toroma County in Katakwi district, Soroti East and Soroti West Divisions in Soroti City, Ngora County in Ngora district and Matheniko County in Moroto district. The others are Labwor County in Abim district and the local government elections in Bukedea.
Geoffrey Omolo, the Katakwi District LC V Chairperson says the new appointments indicate more trust in the region. “I want to thank President Museveni for acknowledging the support Teso gave him in the last election. It shows confidence to the region and proof of our capabilities to serve the country”, he said.
Muntu made the comment during the ANT post-election review in Soroti on Saturday while meeting candidates who participated in the 2021 general elections from Teso sub region. He noted that whereas elections are supposed to open gates for the fresh breed of leaders with development ideas, some of the politicians only join the arena to make ends meet.
Ssempijja, who spoke after Bagiire said that they suffered the wrath of the voters when some of his opponents spread lies about the alleged theft of money from desert locust interventions. He noted that even after being cleared by the auditor general, there was nothing much left to save him.
In Soroti district, the Return Form for Transmission of Results Woman parliamentary elections had 2,618 votes above the presidential score of 64,937 valid votes while Serere district had 2,019 votes above the presidential tally of 75,276 valid votes cast for all the eleven candidates.
The Commission Spokesman, Paul Bukenya said they declared Achayo after adding votes from eleven polling stations that had missed when Abala was declared. Abala will not any of this, saying he is already consulting his lawyers to petition High Court over the matter.
Ariko, who lost to FDC’s Moses Attan Okia in the Soroti City East Division seat is aggrieved by the ruling of Soroti High Court Judge, Justice Wilson Musene Musalu that reverted Aloet and Opiyai wards to Soroti City West Division.
The MP is aggrieved by the ruling of Soroti City boundaries that put Aloet and Opiyai wards to Soroti City West Division. According to Ariko, the two wards were in Soroti City East Division but erroneously annexed to Soroti West Division, something that caused him victory.
In a statement through the Prime Minister, Iteso Cultural Union, Augustine Omare, Emorimor said that the Teso region has many issues that need a united force to address, adding that this can only be achieved when all leaders in the region unite for a common cause.
Patrick Okiror, a Candidate for Orungo Town Council LCIII seat said that voters asked him for transport to reach the polling stations. Okiror is worried about the outcome of the polls since few people will now determine the next leader.
Up to 8:00am, some of the polling stations in Soroti City had not opened the ballot boxes. Similar situation was recorded in Mukono and Buikwe in Central Buganda, Ntoroko, Kabarole and Kyenjojo in Tooro sub region, Luweero, Masaka, among others.
This election, which marks the final national electoral activity under the Roadmap for General Elections 2021, is expected to take place in 2,190 Sub Counties, Town Councils and Municipal Divisions, located in 135 districts. There will no elections in the 10 cities and Kampala Capital City.
The dismissed applications were filed in relations to the election results of Kapelebyong County, Kapelebyong Woman, Gweri County and Soroti County Members of parliament. The Kapelebyong County dispute involved the incumbent, Julius Ocen and newly elected MP, Anthony Esenu.
Achayo, a flag-bearer under the ruling National Resistance Movement- NRM lost to an independent candidate and incumbent, David Abala. According to the results, Abala garnered 8,383 while Achayo got 7,513 votes. In the petition his lawyer, Halid Salim, Achayo contends that Electoral Commission used provisional results from 54 out of 65 polling stations to declare Abala winner.
Paul Omer and Peter Patrick Emaru, both FDC candidates won in Soroti East Division and Soroti West Divisions respectively. Omer beat five challengers with 5,158 votes.
Achayo is protesting the results announced by Peter Toddu, the Ngora District Returning Officer on January 15th, 2021. Through her lawyer, Halid Salim, Achayo wants a recount of the votes that she argues will be in her favour.
Although voting opened across the two divisions in Soroti, there were no ballot papers for all the 25 wards in the city, causing anxiety among voters and candidates who wanted the entire exercise to be called off. But after consultations, the election was reopened for only the Division Mayors and Women representatives.
