By ALFRED TUMUSHABE

One of the MPs who lost his seat in Parliament, Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, has said he raised an illegality issue of organising elections in Sheema Municipality with the Electoral Commission but they did not listen to him.

Dr Elioda, who is also the Minister for Science Technology and Innovation, said prior to leaving his former constituency of Sheema North to contest in the municipality, he demanded to know whether the election was a by election or not but he was instead told to just participate as the same was legitimate.

“Is it by-elections or general elections? I even asked the Electoral Commission about it. I was also reasoning that why should we have elections but they insisted. I said I am not fearing the election; since you have put me in municipality where I am born, let’s go. I contested and I went through,” Dr Elioda said at the weekend.

The minister was speaking at a baptism party of 23 children in Kyikonko Cell, Karera Ward, Kashozi Division Sheema Municipality.

While dismissing the six MPs last Friday, the Constitutional Court in a unanimous decision, described the direct election of the affected six law makers as “improper”, “having been conducted prematurely” for non-existent vacancies, hence null and void.

Dr Elioda also told his voters to remain calm, saying irrespective of the court decision, he is still in Parliament as the ex-officio since he is a minister.