The Court of Appeal has today overturned a ruling by the Mbale High Court that nullified the election of Sarah Opendi as the Woman Member of Parliament for Tororo Municipality.
A panel of three justices led by Deputy Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo, Stephen Kavuma and Richard Buteera ruled that the petitioner Ms. Jacinta Ayo has no substantial evidence linking Opendi, who is also the State Minister of Health for General Duties, to non-compliance with electoral laws.
The three appellate judges said they had re-evaluated the evidence in respect of each of the issues Ms. Ayo raised and found that the nullification of Opendi was erroneous.
They ordered Ayo to pay all costs that Opendi has incurred in both courts.
Last year, Mbale High Court Judge Margaret Oumo Oguli nullified the election of Sarah Opendi following electoral petition that filed by her political rival Ayo on grounds that the election was marred with voter bribery, rigging and declaring of wrong results in some sub counties.
