Katakwi Woman Member of Parliament Violet Adome Akurut has vowed to file an appeal after Soroti High court threw her out of the 10th House and ordered for fresh elections.
Akurut defeated former education minister Jessica Alupo in the primaries forcing her to contest as an Independent in the general elections where she clinched victory as well. The other challengers were Everline Igela of FDC and Independent Cicilia Anyakoit.
Presiding Judge David Wangutusi in a ruling Friday said Akurut was not elected validly and should never have been nominated by Uganda electoral commission.
He made the ruling this morning while delivering his judgment on a petition filed by a voter Simon Peter Emorut challenging the victory of Adome. The judge awarded the petitioner costs of the petition.
She becomes 14th legislator from the ruling National Resistance Movement party to lose seat Akurut was a commissioner at Uganda Human Rights that Okilan faults for violating Parliamentary Election Act, 2005.
“Under section 4 (4) (a) of the Parliamentary Election Act 2005, a public officer or a person employed in any government department or agency of the Government or an employee of a local government or anybody in which the government has controlling interest, who wishes to stand for election as a Member of Parliament shall in the case of general election, resign his or her office at least 90 days before nomination day,” the petition read in part.
Emorut petitioned court through his lawyers, Alfred Okello Oriem and Leonard Otte seeking the nullification of Akurut’s election on ground she offered herself for nominations without retiring from public employment.
He argued that the failure of Akurut to resign violated section 4 sub sections 4 paragraph “A” of the parliamentary elections act and article 80 clauses 4 of the 1995 constitution of Uganda, which require serving public officials to resign at least 90 days to the nomination.
Emorut further said that Akurut continued to hold the office and maintains all her benefits, including her monthly emoluments until as recently as November 2015.
He has attached the pay slip of November as evidence to court. He went ahead to tell court that Akurut has continued to use official motor vehicle registration number UG-03688.
However, in her defense Akurut argued that she wasn’t required to resign because she was protected by article 257 of the constitution, which excludes members of commissions as employees of public service who are required to resign.
“To all my voters and fans, this is not the end of the world. There are higher courts where I am going to appeal and reverse this judgment,” Akurut said.
“We come strong from the NRM primaries through the general elections and I promise if we go through another election we shall still defeat them,” she added.
