Ruling National Resistance movement, NRM candidate Rehema Watongola has reclaimed her Kamuli Municipality Parliamentary seat after defeating four other candidates including Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag-bearer, Proscovia Salaamu Musumba.
Hajjat Watongola, polled 8726 according to the results announced at Kamuli Youth Centre by the Kamuli district returning officer, Gracious Aryaija.
She beat her main rival, FDC's Salaamu Musumba with a margin of close to three thousand votes. Musumba, whose petition challenging Watongola's victory in February 2016 was the reason for Wednesday's by-election, garnered 5778 votes.
Meanwhile, Proscovia Naikoba Kanakutanda came third with 169 votes followed by Mike Kiboome with103 and Samuel Walugyo who polled 63 votes.
At least three hundred and sixty eight votes were invalid.
According to the EC, the voter turnout was poor with 14,839 people, or just over a half of the registered voters, turning up to vote. Kamuli Municipality has a total number of 27,301 registered voters and 54 polling stations.
The Kamuli Municipality parliamentary seat fell vacant in February when the Court of Appeal nullified the election of Rehema Watongola for lack of requisite academic qualifications. The court decision followed a petition filed by Musumba who accused Watongola of uttering and using false documents to contest for the seat in February 2016.
Meanwhile, Election observers have commended the new Electoral Commission team for conducting what they call a relatively peaceful by-election in Kamuli Municipality.
FDC's Salaamu Musumba earlier on Wednesday told the media that the new Electoral Commission team was weak, claiming that police was aiding the NRM candidate to bribe voters.
But according to John Mary Odoi, one of the observers, the new EC team has delivered what it promised when appointed. He noted that the voting materials arrived at polling stations on time and voting also ended on time.
Crispy Kaheru, the Citizen's Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda - CCEDU Coordinator, says that save for the few cases of violence, the EC did a commendable job. He however tasks law makers to come up with laws that can guard against voter bribery.
Busoga North police spokesperson Moses Kasadha also dismisses Musumba's claims saying her team makes the same about police.
