The Chief Justice of Uganda Alfonse Owiny Dollo has said no one will induce or intimidate him to recuse himself from the petition filed by Robert Kyagulanyi challenging President Yoweri Museveni’s presidential election victory.
A few days ago, Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine threatened Justice Dollo that if he does not step down from hearing his case, he (Bobi Wine) will withdraw his petition citing conflict of interest.
Bobi Wine, Museveni’s closest challenger in the 14th January polls, petitioned the Supreme Court seeking the nullification of the election which was won by former.
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,” the National Unity Platform leader 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 on 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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