Soroti-Herbert Edmund Ariko has been elected the Soroti East Member of Parliament.
Ariko who contested on the National Resistance Movement-NRM party ticket defeated his closest rival Moses Attan Okia of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)
Ariko garnered 9,407 votes against Attan’s 8,771 votes. The Uganda Peoples’ Congress candidate, Pascal Amuriat got 115 votes.
Ariko was declared the winner at 10 pm by the Soroti City Returning Officer, Christine Eyuu.
Last month, the Court of Appeal nullified the election of Attan after Ariko contested the results on grounds that his strongholds; Aloet and Opiyai wards were erroneously annexed to the Soroti West, which he noted disfranchised more than 5,000 voters.
The polls were characterized by violence and reports of ballot stuffing, especially at Omalera, Otatai and Owolo Polling Stations.
Justice Simon Byabakama, the Electoral Commission Chairperson asked the Police to investigate the cases of violence that were reported at various polling stations.
Soroti East Constituency has 63 polling stations spread over 13 wards.
Source: URN