Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has welcomed the move by the National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine to challenge the election victory of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa.
Lukwago said on Saturday that petitioning the Supreme Court over President Museveni’s victory is a great move that will help Ugandans to measure the efficiency and independence of the country’s Judiciary.
Lukwago, a lawyer by profession said that the Presidential petition to the Supreme Court is the only alternative the opposition has to test state institutions. He said the opposition has to use every democratic measure to see that President Museveni is tiptoeing.
“If everything is conducted well, anything can happen. In Kenya and Malawi, their Supreme Courts have set precedents that even presidential elections can be nullified, so going to the Supreme Court is a perfect move now,” he said.
Medard Ssegona one of the lawyers on the team that is going to be representing Bobi Wine also noted that petitioning President Museveni’s victory is necessary because he robbed NUP’s victory.
“I think Ugandans are not happy because Museveni stole their votes. Therefore, they are ready for this petition and also the entire world has been waiting for this, and as NUP members we are ready to tussle,” he said.
On Friday, Bobi Wine, through his lawyers Wameli and Company Advocates, notified the supreme Court that he will be filing a presidential petition on Monday 1st February 2020.
The development was confirmed by Judiciary Spokesperson, Solomon Muyita.
Last week, Bobi Wine described the presidential election of January 14 as “a mockery of democracy”.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) leader came second in the race against incumbent President Yoweri Museveni, who won a sixth term with an outright majority.
In a Facebook address to Ugandans on last Friday, Bobi Wine said he has since the 17th of January 2021 been advised that NUP goes to court to contest the election results while other well wishers have advised against the move.
“A number of well wishers have since the 17th of January been telling us to go to court, while others do not support it. Those against court say we would be giving Museveni another term. We are still consulting stakeholders and we will, in a few days, inform you of our decision,” he said.
“We defeated them and we we were supposed to be announced as winners but they announced fake results which are not totally related to what happened.”
Bobi Wine also called on Ugandans to use “non-violent legal means to remove Museveni”.
“This is an insult to all Ugandans who have fought for freedom. We reject these fake results, and we refuse to acknowledge Museveni as the winner. Resisting tyranny in Uganda is now our duty. We must rise peacefully.We are a non-violent group. Studies show that non-violent revolutions have been more effective in removing dictatorships,” he said.
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