Mengo Chief Magistrate, Esther Nansambu has declined to grant a petition by Fred Nyanzi the National Unity Platform candidate seeking a vote recount for the Kampala Central Parliamentary seat.
Nansambu said the petition was based on hearsay and that the petitioner lacked evidence warranting a vote recount, hence a wastage of Court's time.
According to the Chief Magistrate, her court lacks jurisdiction on the prayers made by Nyanzi in his vote recount application, forcing her to dismiss the application with costs.
The NUP candidate petitioned court following his loss to the incumbent Kampala Central Member of Parliament, Muhammad Nsereko who polled 16,998 votes against Nyanzi's 15,975.
Nyanzi in his petition alleged that the voting process and counting were marred by malpractices and irregularities committed by both the Electoral Commission officials and Nsereko's agents.
The NUP candidate further accused some presiding officers of denying his agents access to voting areas at different polling stations including Summit View, Nakasero 1 and 2, Hoima Flats among others where his agents were reportedly blocked from accessing the voting areas.
Nyanzi told Court that as a result, his agents were unable to sign the declaration of results forms. However, there was no evidence to support all these accusations.
He also argued that Nsereko and his agents altered the declaration of result forms and destroying original copies of the forms among others.
It is unclear whether he will appeal in a higher Court.
