Oscar Kizza, the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) candidate in the Omoro county Parliamentary by-election has asked the Electoral Commission to revoke the nomination of his National Resistance Movement-NRM rival, Andrew Ojok Oulanyah citing discrepancies in his names.
Ojok is one of the five other candidates nominated by the Electoral Commission last week to contest in the Omoro county By-election slated for May 26, 2022.
In his May 16, 2022 letter addressed to the Omoro District Electoral Commission Returning Officer, Kizza alleges that whereas Ojok was nominated as Ojok Andrew Oulanyah, his academic documents indicate a different name of Ojok Andrew O.
Kizza notes that the two persons in the names of Ojok Andrew Oulanyah and Ojok Andrew O are not one and the same, arguing that it was therefore irregular and illegal to nominate a nonexistent person.
He says it would have been logical for the candidate to swear a deed poll if he had an interest in running as Ojok Andrew Oulanyah.
Kizza called on the Electoral Commission to cancel what he termed as a purported nomination of Ojok since it’s illegal and irregular.
“Having perused the file of a candidate nominated as Ojok Andrew Oulanyah presented by the NRM, I found several grave irregularities and illegalities that I in my humble view fortified by the parliamentary elections act 2002 section 13 considers the purported nomination invalid and I invite the returning officer Omoro district to come to the conclusion that the purported nominated Ojok Andrew Oulanyah is irregular and illegal,” Kizza’s letter reads in Part.
Kizza says that he has given EC up to Friday to address his concerns, adding that if they don’t get any answer, he will sue both the Electoral Commission and the NRM candidate.
He also alleges that Ojok attached a purported resignation letter from NITA-U, a Government department contrary to the Public Service Standing Orders 2 010.
Ojok told Uganda Radio Network in an interview that he hasn’t yet received Kizza’s petition on the alleged irregularity in his nomination. He rubbished the allegations saying it’s a detraction from an opponent who is foreseeing electoral defeat.
The Electoral Commission Spokesperson Paul Bukenya confirmed that they had recieved Kizza’s letter, saying it’s a lawful procedure on the side of the complainant.
He said the commission will sit down on Thursday and determine the complaint raised in the presence of the candidates.
“The commission is going to hear and determine the matter, we shall call in the parties to the complaint. We shall determine it and communicate,” he said.
The Campaigns for the Omoro County Parliamentary byelection entered the second day Tuesday with most of the candidates pledging to revamp the health, Education, Agriculture, and Road sectors and improve access to clean water.
Terrence Odonga, an independent who campaigned at Acet Market in Acet Trading Center in Odek Sub-county promised to support farmers in the district by supporting them with loans. He also stressed that he will put in place a health scheme to provide health care services to children under five years and elderly persons above 75 years.