NRM's Vincent Wembwoya the Member of Parliament for Budadiri East constituency in Sironko District has today been thrown out of the house by the High Court in Mbale.
High Court Judge Andrew Bashaija has nullified Wembwoya’s election, bringing the number of members thrown out of the 10th parliament so far, to four.
He joins the likes of Peter Sematimba, Isaac Mulindwa Ssozi, and Aciro Lucy.
Today’s ruling stems from a petition against Wembwoya’s victory by Sasaga Isiah Jonny, an FDC party member who was also his main challenger in the February 18 parliamentary election on grounds that he was not validly nominated.
Sasaga, through his lawyer Geoffrey Ojok of Victoria Company Advocates, alleged that at the time of his nomination, Webwoya was serving as the Principal Disaster Management Officer in the office of the Prime Minister, yet the law requires that all public servants must resign from office at least 90 days before engaging in political activity.
However, through his advocates Isaac Nabende of Nabende and company Advocates, Webwoya, argued that he has resigned long before nomination. He also provided affidavits including a letter of approval dated May 10, 2016
from the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, approving his resignation and early retirement.
But Sasaga had a backup plan of statements indicating that Webwoya continued to draw salary from government up to December 2015, seven months after the purported retirement.
High Court Judge Bashaija in his ruling argued that Webwoya did not comply with the legal requirement of early retirement after he failed to submit his resignation 90 days before the date of his nomination.
He also ruled that Webwoya was not validly nominated for the elections which he was declared winner and that his victory has been nullified.
Meanwhile, Sasaga welcomed the ruling as a victory for his camp, while Webwoya said the judge was biased since the start of the hearing.
