The High Court in Gulu has today dismissed with costs two election petition cases brought against two Members of Parliament.
The court presided over by David Matovu dismissed a case brought against the deputy speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanya by his rival for Omoro County Constituency Simon Akecha Toolit and another brought against the newly elected Member of Parliament for Agago County constituency Otto Edward Makmot alias Edward Otto. Komakech Charles Oto-Dera challenged Otto’s citizenship saying he was not a Ugandan but a Canadian.
Komakech in his petition challenged Hon. Otto Edward on grounds that he Otto uses a Canadian passport in the names of Edward Otto and not Edward Otto Makmot and therefore is not a citizen of Uganda and such should not have been nominated as a candidate for member of parliament.
Otto respondent that he holds dual citizenship as a citizen of Uganda by descent/birth and as a Canadian citizen by registration.
In his judgment, the judge ruled that Otto was duly elected Member of Parliament for Agago County
Speaking to journalists shortly after the ruling, Mr. Otto said he was not interested in the cost but would want it paid so that it sends a signal to others to stop wasting courts time.
“I am not interested in the costs. I am sending a message to others that we have to be mindful of the cases brought before court because the court has lots of other serious matters to handle,” Otto told journalists.
He told journalists that he has a national ID, a voter card and a Ugandan passport which proves he is Ugandan.
Otto said he was born in Agago, studied at Negri Primary, St Henrys College Kitovu and St Mary’s College Kisubi before joining Makerere University where he studied Law. He later moved to Canada in 1996 where he lived until he returned to Uganda in 2013.
He won the Agago constituency seat by 14, 281 votes while Komakech Charles Oto-Dera came forth with over 2,000 votes.
