The pre-trial hearing of a case challenging the election of Dr. Paul Otuoma as Busia governor began yesterday at Busia High. The case will be heard before Bungoma High court judge David Kenei
Former Nambale MP John Sakwa Bunyasi filed the petition at the High Court challenging the process and results the IEBC used to declare Otuoma as the county governor.
According to Bunyasi who was the main complainant, the election in Busia was characterized with a lot of election malpractices ranging from breaking of seals, missing ballot boxes, alteration of results on form 37A, incidences of violence and some ballot boxes having water upon scrutiny.
“If the elections were free and fair I wouldn’t have moved to court to challenge it. We had over 41 ballot boxes that had broken seals in Butula constituency, cases of violence in Budalangi constituency and Teso south and some ballot boxes having water upon scrutiny,” narrated Bunyasi to the court.
Busia IEBC returning officer Lazarus Chebii declared Otuoma who vied on ODM ticket under Azimio coalition as the winner with 164,478 votes against 92,144 votes garnered by Bunyasi of ANC party under Kenya Kwanza who came a distant second.
The second day will see lawyers of IEBC, Dr.Otuoma led by James Orengo and former speaker Bernard Wamalwa among others, cross-examine the evidence from other witnesses who will testify before the court.
Bunyasi will be represented by lawyers led by Katwa Kigen.
