The Supreme Court has dismissed National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Kyagulanyi Sentamu Robert aka Bobi Wine’s application to amend the main presidential electoral Petition challenging the outcome of January 14, 2021, presidential race.
According to court, the application was dismissed on grounds that the matters brought challenging the legality of Museveni election were filed out of time.
The National Unity Platform principle wanted to adduce more evidence to support his 26 claims of election fraud, for which he wants president-elect Yoweri Kaguta Museveni victory annulled.
On 1 February, through his lawyers led by Medard Seggona, 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.
In the fresh grounds, Kyagulanyi had contended that Mr Museveni was not qualified as a candidate and could not lawfully contest in the Presidential Elections is a person in command of military and police contrary to Presidential Elections amendment Act and the Constitutional Amendment.
The matter was presided over by nine justices of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo.
Others are Stella Arach Amoko, Mike Chibita, Paul Mugamba, Ezekiel Muhanguzi, Percy Night Tuhaise, Rubby Opio Aweri, Faith Mwondha and Dr Esther Kisaakye, the most senior on the panel.
Appearing before the panel earlier, Kyagulanyi’s Lawyer Medard Sseggona told court that most of the 15 days in which he should have filed the petition, he was under house arrest which is why a few aspects of the evidence were left out.
The pre-hearing conference for the election petition is set for Thursday, February 11, 2021. This is one where parties involved in a case meet with judges to determine the number of issues before the case hearing begins.
The respondents in the petition including the Attorney General, Electoral Commission and the president-elect lawyers have since made their responses to the filed petition, ahead of the pre-trial conference.
A team of 40 lawyers has been set up to represent Museveni while 25 will represent Bobi Wine.
The presidential election which comprised 11 candidates was won by President Yoweri Museveni Tibuhaburwa Kaguta who got 6,042,898 (58.38%). His closest opponent Kyagulanyi Robert Sentamu got 3,631,437 votes (35.08%).