The Electoral Commission has set date for the election of Member of Parliament for Aruu county north in Pader district.
The parliamentary seat for the constituency fell vacant last week on Wednesday when the Court of Appeal in Kampala nullified the election of its MP, Lucy Aciro Otim for breaching the electoral laws during the February 2016 elections.
The Court subsequently ordered the Electoral Commission to organize a fresh parliamentary election in the area.
Today Wednesday, the EC issued statement saying the poll is going to be conducted on the 2nd April 2017.
“As required by law the statutory deadline for conducting a Parliamentary by-election is sixty (60) days after notification from Clerk to Parliament on the occurrence of the vacancy. Accordingly, the Electoral Commission has approved the electoral programme for by-election of Member of Parliament for Aruu North County, with polling set for Thursday 6th April 2017,” part of the statement from the EC said.
The petition against Aciro’s February victory was filled by her rival Nabbison Kidega who is the former Resident District Commissioner of Amuru.
Aciro who polled 8,599 defeated Kidega with who got 8,587 with only 2 votes. The magistrates court in Gulu ordered for a recount of votes weeks later.
The Pader E.C office where the ballots were being kept was however stormed by suspected supporters of Aciro who destroyed everything. The case went to Court of Appeal and was decided last week.