Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president general Patrick Amuriat Oboi has said he warned former presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine not to bother running to Supreme Court to challenge President Museveni’s victory but he couldn’t listen.
“We had advised all those that wanted to go to court not to try since we have seen that court under Museveni are useless because we have an experience in these matters. Therefore, for my brother Bobi Wine to say that they are withdrawing the petition because the three judges were not excluded, it’s a sign that they were not seeing what happens in court today,” Amuriat said.
However, political and elections analyst Crispin Kaheru noted that the move to withdraw the petition from the Supreme Court is a shame that has been painted on the judiciary.
“This is going to be the first time such case to be withdrawn in the history of Uganda, this means that controversy we see is not legal but it’s political, therefore whatever is going on will never be settled in court but they will be solved by mutual understanding,” Kaheru said.
On Monday, Kyagulanyi famously known as Bobi Wine instructed his lawyers to withdraw the presidential petition which he filed in the Supreme Court challenging President Yoweri Museveni’s election victory.
Speaking during a press conference in Kampala, Bob Wine said Court has clearly indicated that it can’t provide justice to him after blocking him to provide additional evidence.
Kyagulanyi noted that the case will now be taken to the public court since Ugandan courts have failed to show that they are independent but instead continue to work for President Museveni. He further said the people of Uganda will have the final say.
“We are withdrawing from the courts but we are not opting for violence. We are withdrawing the case from Mr Owiny Dollo’s court,” National Unity Platform (NUP) said.
The development comes hot on the heels of Supreme Court’s decision to reject Bobi Wine’s bid to file additional affidavits in support of his petition challenging the victory of President Museveni in the January 14 elections.
In an eight to one majority ruling last Friday, justice night Percy Tuhaise dismissed NUP’s application that sought extra time to file his new affidavits.
A few days ago, the outgoing Kyadondo East legislator threatened Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo that if he does not step down from hearing his case, he (Bobi Wine) will withdraw his petition citing conflict of interest.
He however said he no longer feels the Owiny Dollo led court has what it takes to deliver justice to Ugandans whom he says overwhelmingly voted for change but their victory was robbed in favor of Museveni.
As such, he demanded that the chief justice, along with two other justices on the nine justice panel step down for he says it’s been established that the three have in the past had personal and professional relationships with President Museveni, a defendant in the matter before the very court which makes the prospect of justice highly unlikely.
“We went to court seeking justice. As demonstrated above, all we have received so far is injustice and unfairness. It is however not surprising that Mr. Owiny-Dollo is behaving in this manner, although we hoped he would conduct the affairs of our highest court judiciously,” Bobi Wine said.
However, according to Justice Dollo, whoever thinks can induce or intimidate him should be ready for a crash.
“Nobody should have the fear that we will favour any person in this petition, we took an oath to defend. We did not invite anyone to this court if you have Plan B, go ahead with it but do not bring underserved chaos in court,” he told Court last Friday during the hearing of Bobi Wine’s application to allow his additional 127 affidavits.
“The last time we sat here I spoke on how we will conduct ourselves in the matter before us. The lordships as it is provided for in the constitution took an oath to protect it without fear or favor, affection or ill-will…..All matters that arise outside court we don’t have time for it. If anyone thinks they can intimidate, blackmail the Chief Justice Of Uganda, he is going to crash.”
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