It is a huge blow to the National Unity Platform (NUP), as their elected representative for Makindye East II, Ivan Wafula, has lost his position following a decisive ruling by the High Court in Kampala.
The court’s decision not only nullifies Wafula’s election but also hands the victory to his political rival, Yasin Omari Assini, from the National Resistance Movement (NRM).
This ruling marks a significant shift in the leadership of Makindye East II, undermining NUP’s foothold in the constituency.
In a major ruling, the High Court determined that Ivan Wafula was not properly nominated for the January 25, 2021, elections.
Justice Musa Ssekaana, who presided over the case, found multiple irregularities in Wafula’s academic qualifications and nomination documents.
These discrepancies, along with an inflated vote tally in Wafula’s favor, prompted the court to strip him of his position.
As a result, Yasin Omari Assini, the runner-up, has been declared the rightful winner and sworn in as the new Lord Councillor for Makindye East II.
Here’s what happened:
Yasin Omari Assini and Ivan Wafula both ran for the position of City/District Councillor for Makindye East II. When the election results came in, Assini had 2,277 votes while Wafula had 1,753 votes.
However, the Returning Officer declared Wafula the winner, and the Electoral Commission officially recorded that Wafula had won with 3,602 votes on April 12, 2021.
Assini was unhappy with this result and took the matter to court, arguing that Wafula’s election was not fair.
He claimed that Wafula had lied about his qualifications and that the results had been tampered with.
However, a lower court initially rejected Assini’s complaints, stating that Wafula had been properly elected.
Not giving up, Assini appealed to the High Court. He pointed out several issues, including the fact that Wafula had not paid court-ordered costs from a previous case and that there were irregularities with Wafula’s nomination.
Assini also highlighted problems with Wafula’s academic qualifications, which Wafula claimed to have, but could not fully prove.
Justice Musa Ssekaana of the High Court reviewed the case and found that Wafula had listed false qualifications.
He claimed to have completed his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) at Kisugu High School in 2010, but records showed he had not sat for the exams.
His claim of having a teaching diploma also had issues. Based on these findings, the court decided that Wafula’s nomination and election were invalid.
As a result, the High Court ruled that Yasin Omari Assini, who received more valid votes, should be the rightful Lord Councillor for Makindye East II.
Assini has now been sworn in to serve the remaining term until the next elections 2026.
This decision marks the end of a long legal battle and puts Yasin Omari Assini in the position he rightfully earned in the 2021 election.
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