Less than a month after the Constitutional Court kicked Bukonzo East MP Yokasi Bihande out of Parliament, he has lost the bid to reclaim his seat after being trounced in the FDC primary elections.
Bihande lost to Herold Bwambale in the party primaries conducted on Thursday in Kisinga sub-county.
After his defeat, Bihande, a former LC 5 chairperson for Kasese district, remained silent on his next political move.
Ever since he was kicked out of the House last month, Bihande has pitched camp in Bukonzo East where he has been carrying out vigorous campaigns to reclaim his seat under the FDC ticket.
Bwambale who got 309 votes against Bihande’s 39 votes, said that this is the time Bihande should be given time to rest, given the troubles he has passed through.
“I am happy with the people of Bukonzo East for allowing their MP Bihande to rest because for the last four years he has done nothing for his constituency since he has been in court battling his corruption cases.”
Bwambale will face the NRM flag-bearer Fred Businge in a battle for Bukonzo East, which has been represented by the opposition since 2001.
Bihande was in 2012 convicted of uttering false accountability regarding the Constituency Development Fund he had received from Parliament.
The Constitutional Court judges led by Deputy Chief Justice, Steven Kavuma unanimously ruled last month that Bihande should have stopped receiving a monthly salary and allowances since he had ceased being an MP from April 3, 2012 when he was convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court and that he should be kicked out Parliament.
In 2012, Justice Catherine Bamugemereire, then-serving at the Anti-Corruption Court, convicted Bihande after he pleaded guilty to embezzling sh20m and forging accountability for the Constituency Development Fund.
Justice Bamugemereire sentenced him to a fine of sh1m or two years in jail. He was also slapped with a sh2m fine or three-year jail sentence in default.
Bihande opted to paying the fines and continued serving as a MP until his stay in Parliament was challenged by one of his constituents on the ground that he should have vacated the seat after being convicted.
