FDC will run to court as Ariko defeats Attan in Soroti East by-election 

According to the Returning Officer of Soroti City Electoral district Eyu Christine, Ariko Herbert Edmund won with 9,407 votes, and the FDC’s Attan Okia Moses got 8771 votes.

By Milton Emmy Akwam

Soroti, Uganda – July 29, 2022: The Soroti East MP by-election ended on Thursday. The National Resistance Movement [NRM] party candidate took the day in the shock of the opposition teams.

The Forum for Democratic Change [FDC] candidate Attan Moses Okia was battling to retain his seat with NRM’s Ariko Herbert Edmund. UPC candidate Amuriat Pascal was also in the race.

Both Museveni and Patrick Oboi Amuriat campaigned for their flag bearers. The latter also was joined by the opposition leaders from the National Unity Platform [NUP] led by Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine.

From the Prime Minister to the Vice President and ruling party leaders, including the NRM MPs all camped in Soroti East for victories. These leaders fed ‘their voters’ and demanded more from them on Thursday [polling day].

According to the Returning Officer of Soroti City Electoral district Eyu Christine, Ariko Herbert Edmund won with 9,407 votes, and the FDC’s Attan Okia Moses got 8771 votes.

She also declared UPC’s Amuriat Pascal with only 115 votes.

Also, according to the returning officer, the total number of valid votes counted was 18,606; the total number of invalid votes was 313 and the total number of valid votes was 18,293.

TND News understands that the opposition [FDC] is planning to go to court to dispute the outcomes. A source in the party says “the election was fraudulent, sham and its outcomes are questionable”.

The party is yet to issue an official statement on taking any legal steps. 

In May this year, Attan lost his seat after the Court of Appeal ordered the electoral commission to organize a fresh election for Soroti East.

The three justices: Cheborion Barishaki, Christopher Gashirakabake and Stephen Musota dismissed Attan’s appeal averring that some voters were left out from the January 14, 2021 general elections.

On the election eve, at least 40 FDC members, including party President Patrick Amuriat Oboi were arrested and whisked to Lango sub-region. 

Police say they were planning to rig the Thursday election, something the FDC has strongly denied.