The opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has for the second consecutive time failed to secure a single seat as Parliament overwhelmingly voted NRM’s former Minister Rose Akol and 8 others to represent Uganda at the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).
In the results announced by the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga last night, former internal affairs minister Akol Okullu topped the list of 47 contestants with 370 votes.
Both Uganda People's Congress (UPC) and the Democratic Party (DP) also managed to retain one seat each, with the ruling NRM party using its numerical strength in Parliament to send all its six legislators through.
Akol was followed by former Kakuuto County MP Mathias Kasamba who garnered 359 votes, then Paul Musamali who got 350 votes. Another NRM candidate George Odong polled 346, former Agriculture minister Mary Mugyenyi followed with 341 votes, while Dennis Namara got 329 votes.
Meanwhile, all incumbents in the race, Mukasa Mbidde, Suzan Nakawuki and Chris Opoka retained their seats. Mukasa Mbidde got 308, Suzan Nakawuki got 298 and Chris Opoka garnered 274 votes, leaving FDC's Ibi Ekwau in 10th position with 179 votes.
Ingrid Turinawe, another FDC candidate, who was heckled throughout her campaign speech earlier in the day, got 25 votes.
There were eight invalid votes.