The High Court in Gulu on Friday May 4, suspended transaction of any business by Gulu University guild leaders after it got complaints that the University and its electoral body conducted guild elections which were marred by irregularities.
In a court order dated May 4, 2018, the assistant registrar, Mr Thaddeus Opesen, issued an interim order stopping transaction of any business pending the determination of the main application.
The court orders sent to respondents, Gulu University and electoral commission reads in part: 1.The respondent’s officials are hereby stopped from transacting any business pending the determination of the main application.
2.That this order shall be in force till June 8th 2018.”
The application objecting the results of the April 29 elections that showed Daniel Mbazira as a winner in the guild presidential race, was filed by Ojok James Onono the first runner up, Bithum Eric Opondo, Lilly Laker, Ivan Oloya and Charles Onek, all candidates in the guild cabinet race.
The applicants protested that the election were marred by malpractices and irregularities because the estimated population of students elegible to vote were about 5,000 according to the electoral voters registers.
However, majority students didn’t find their names on the day of voting hence only 1,900 students voted.
They also maintained that there was disenfranchisement of voters which was masterminded by the electoral body and the Gulu University officials and a deliberate denial to count votes from two polling stations.
However Mr Walter Okidi Ladwar, the Gulu University legal officer, during his submission argued that the Court dismiss the application with costs since it has no merit as the applicants didn’t present their mischiefs from the elections.
The applicants were represented by Ms. Alice Latigo of M/s Latigo and Company Advocates.
The April 29th Election results place Mbazira, a fourth year medical student as winner with 1,239 votes and Ojok James Onono second with 490 and Nowee Johnson came third with 201 votes.
