Teenager wins by-election to join Uganda ParliamentBy RICHARD OTIM | Thursday, September 13  2012 at  13:58

Uganda's Electoral Commission Thursday morning declared 19-year-old National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Proscovia Alengot Aromait winner of the Usuk parliamentary by-election.

Usuk is in eastern Uganda.

However, her age has led some to question whether she will perform her duties as Member of Parliament competently.

“I can’t just take it that NRM lacks adult supporters in Usuk. A youth like this MP (elect) is bound to make more mistakes than ever,” read one of the reactions on Facebook, a social media website.

Ms Aromait won the seat with 11,059 votes (54.2 per cent), cast from a total of 86 polling stations.

“Results for one polling station (though) came after declaration of the results. A vehicle which was sent to pick the results stuck and the results were only delivered in the morning,” said Mr Joseph Omona, the Katakwi returning officer.

He said a total of 38,238 voters were registered, with 21,103 (55.2 per cent) turning up to vote in the by-election.

The exercise was, however, disrupted by heavy rains in some areas.

Ms Aromait replaces her father, who died last July while serving as Usuk MP.

It was not possible to get a comment from the MP-elect, who was said to be “busy, and cannot talk to the press now”.