Former National Unity Platform (NUP) Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine’s application seeking to withdraw the Presidential election petition has been gazetted.
Last week, a panel of nine Judges of the Supreme Court led by chief justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo directed that the application for the withdrawal of the matter should be gazetted in the Uganda National Gazette for it to be heard.
On Wednesday last week, Bobi Wine filed a petition seeking withdrawal of the matter in which he challenged President Yoweri Museveni’s victory on grounds that the court declined to receive his evidence.
Over the weekend, Solomon Muyita, a senior communication official of the judiciary said Bobi Wine, Museveni fulfilled all requirements for withdrawal of election petition. “Bobi and his lawyer Medard Ssegona filed affidavits confirming the withdrawal of the matter and the respondents who include President Museveni and the Electoral Commission filed their submissions in regard to the case,” he said.
On 1st February 2021, Bobi Wine petitioned the Supreme Court challenging President Yoweri Museveni’s victory in the just concluded January general elections saying that the election was not free and fair.
He contended that throughout the campaign period the People of Uganda generally, and more particularly his supporters endured untold suffering, torture, degrading and inhuman treatment on the orders of Gen Museveni. He cited the dark days of 18th and 19th November 2020 which saw over 50 innocent, unarmed citizens murdered in cold blood by the police and military.
Last week the Supreme Court declined to receive over 200 pieces of evidence from his lawyers who were led by Anthony Wameli. The court registrar Harriet Ssali Lukwago said the Supreme Court could not receive the affidavits because they were filed beyond stipulated time as agreed during the pre-hearing session held last month.
“Among the rejected evidence included the affidavits of the NUP secretary-general Lewis Lubongoya, videos of pre-ticket ballots, and evidence of various polling stations where the incumbent got 100 per cent. At Lwaweba polling station where they claim that Museveni got 100 per cent seven of my relatives who votes from that station didn’t vote, two pregnant women were in the labour ward and two were arrested,” he said earlier last week.
A week ago, Supreme Court chaired by Chief Justice Alfonso Owiny-Dollo dismissed the MPs petition where he sought to adduce more grounds to support his 26 claims of election fraud, for which he wants president-elect Yoweri Kaguta Museveni annulled.
On the fresh grounds, Bobi contended that Mr Museveni was not qualified as a Candidate and could not lawfully Contest in the Presidential Elections being a person in command of military and police contrary to Presidential Elections amendment Act and the Constitutional Amendment
In tandem, the Bobi Wine asked Justice Owiny Dollo, Mike Chibita to back off from hearing the matter because of a clear conflict of interest. He said Chief Justice represented Museveni as his lawyer in the presidential petition filed by Dr. Besigye in 2001 and the former DPP Chibita is Museveni’s former private secretary for seven years. And yesterday Dollo declined to recuse himself from the bench.
