Parliamentary polls: Loser challenges PLWDs winner

Gaston Rusiha’s election as the country’s next Member of Parliament (MP) to represent people with disabilities has been disputed by his closest challenger, Séverin Rwamucyo Gisaza.The latter petitioned the Supreme Court on Friday, contesting results from the legislative polls in the special category of people living with disabilities held on Wednesday. Campaigns by candidates seeking this seat were held on the same day.Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) are allocated one seat in the Chamber of Deputies, which is competed for through the college system. A source at Judiciary told The New Times yesterday that Rwamucyo has alleged that Rusiha peddled influence on the Electoral College to win the seat and that he has proof that the winner paid voters.“He says that Rusiha peddled influence and paid to win votes,” the source said, confirming that the Supreme Court has indeed received Rwamucyo’s petitioned.No confirmation Rusiha, is also the president of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), garnered the most votes from the 241 members of the college, earning 100 votes (41.84 per cent) while Rwamucyo scooped 63 votes (26.36 per cent).NEC announced Rusiha as tthe winner in the preliminary results. However, on Friday, he did not feature on the list of MPs-elect announced by the president of the National Electoral Commission (NEC), Prof. Kalisa Mbanda.“We will not proclaim the winner of the seat for the disabled because some issues have emerged,” Mbanda simply said at the announcement of the final results from the elections on Friday.The NEC boss only announced 79 MPs-elect, one short of the full House of 80. Rusiha refuted the allegations that he unfairly won the elections, insisting in an interview on Friday that he is the legitimate winner of teh poll.The Supreme Court has requested Rwamucyo to provide more evidence about his allegations before it can issue its verdict, the source at Judiciary said.The court has five working days to deliver a judgment after such an elections related complaint is filed.An official at NEC said the commission will implement what the court will decide between confirming Rusiha as an MP and conducting another election for the representative of people living with disabilities in the Lower House.