The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kalungu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ismail Ssemakula Saaja, the runner-up in the Kalungu West parliamentary race in Kalungu District, is seeking a recount of votes cast in Thursday’s elections.
Ssemakula, who contested as an independent candidate, according to the Electoral Commission tally, narrowly lost to the National Unity Platform (NUP) incumbent, Joseph Gonzaga Ssewungu, by a margin of just 46 votes.
On Saturday afternoon, the Kalungu District Returning Officer, Teddy Nabukenya, declared Ssewungu the winner with 10,106 votes, beating Ssemakula, who garnered 10,069 votes.
Other candidates included Twaha Kiganda Ssonko of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) with 2,212 votes, Michael Birimuye Matovu of the Democratic Front with 555 votes, and Democratic Party’s James Barikuddembe, who polled 137 votes.
However, Ssemakula has since disputed the Returning Officer’s tally figures, arguing that the tallying process was riddled with arithmetical errors, some of which he claims were deliberately made in favour of the incumbent.
He is demanding that the Electoral Commission reviews all Declaration of Results forms from the 94 polling stations in Kalungu West Constituency to verify the figures and correct any margin of error.
Ssemakula argues that based on his own calculations from results forms obtained at polling stations, he had a lead and questions how he ended up as runner-up.
“We need to be sure that nobody tampered with the results in their transmission process to the tally centre. The solution to this is having a recount of the votes,” he said.
On Saturday evening, Ssemakula formally filed a complaint with the Returning Officer, appealing for a recount to be considered.
However, Returning Officer Teddy Nabukenya said she needed time to examine the legal provisions guiding Ssemakula’s request.
The Presidential and Parliamentary Elections Act permits a Returning Officer to order a recount of votes where a candidate wins by a narrow margin of fewer than 50 votes and before the declaration of results.
Nabukenya noted that the complaint was raised late on Saturday and said she needed to consult higher authorities before making a decision on the dispute.
Meanwhile, Ssemakula and a group of his supporters have since Saturday pitched camp at the Kalungu District tally centre, awaiting the Returning Officer’s decision on their petition.
He has also vowed to seek redress in the courts of law should his plea for a recount be declined.
However, Joseph Ssewungu, the incumbent MP for Kalungu West who was declared winner of the Thursday polls, dismissed the recount demand, arguing that his opponent was playing populist politics.
He said the results from all polling stations were thoroughly scrutinized before declaration and challenged Ssemakula to abandon the recount bid, insisting it would not change the outcome since the declaration was conducted in full view of all candidates.
