Deborah Mwesigwa Mugerwa who lost to the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga for Kamuli District Woman M P seat has withdrawn the petition she early this month logged in Jinja High court challenging the February poll results.
According to Jolly Ibanda, who was the personal assistant to Ms. Mwesigwa during her campaigns, the petition was withdrawn on Friday due to what he described as ‘public demand and need for harmony in society’
“It’s true she withdrew the petition because all her agents who shore affidavit were being persecuted threatened and intimidated and many had expressed fear of appearing in court in order to safe guard their lives” Ibanda said.
He added that his candidate was now focusing on serving and interacting with the public ahead of the 2021 general elections and was away on a private trip to lobby for the people of Kamuli.
Mwesigwa whom Kadaga defeated with over 60,000 votes had petitioned Jinja high court on 4th April challenging the declaration of the incumbent Rebecca Kadaga as the elected legislator citing electoral malpractice and irregularities.
She had stated in her petition that Kadaga misused her powers as she literally became the empress and intimidated everyone in Kamuli during campaigns.
Through her lawyers of Katabalwa and Co advocates, Mugerwa also cited bribing of voters with motor cycles, money, spray pumps, water pumps and tents among others by the incumbent legislator contrary to section 68( 1 and 7) of the Parliamentary Elections Act 2005.
She quoted in her petition areas like Kisege primary school, Ndalike, Namwendwa, Buyengere, Bukwanga zone, Bumbya, Namasagali, Busambu, Bubanga, Bugulumbya and Bunangwe where Kadaga drilled water sources for locals during campaigns.
Stanley Ngobi, one of Mwesigwa’s witnesses who shore affidavit that Kadaga had bought a new motorcycle registration number UEJ 102J for a one James Mukungu as a bribe during campaigns is said to have complained of being threatened by various people to keep off Kadaga.
Deborah stood with Kadaga in the NRM primaries only to be defeated by the latter who has maintained her Kamuli seat since the Constituent Assembly.
Kadaga who stood on the National Resistance Movement ticket won the Kamuli woman Member of Parliament election with an overwhelming 90,853 votes followed by the petitioner who stood on Independent ticket polling 24,073 votes.
The Forum for Democratic Change candidate Mariam Namwase Muntu came last with 7,258 votes.