Uganda Supreme Court approves Bobi Wine’s election petition withdrawal
By Dennis Kabatto – A nine-member judges panel of Uganda Supreme Court has granted National Unity Platform (NUP) opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu also known as Bobi Wine to withdraw his petition to invalidate president Museveni’s re-election.
Though there were no objections to the withdrawal by the Attorney General, the Electoral Commission, and president Museveni, the president’s legal team nonetheless argued that the law requires Bobi Wine to pay the cost upon withdrawal of the petition. Adding, that based on his actions including what they described as making a mockery of the court’s independence, attacking court officials, and discussing petition issues with the media he should pay billions of shillings of court cost.
But Bobi Wine’s lawyers said since president Museveni was declared a winner and the case being a public interest issue and most importantly, the promotion of the rule of law, each party should bear its costs.
David Lewis Rubongoya is National Secretary General of Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform. He said the court is biased against them and that they have lost confidence in the Supreme Court.
Attorney Rubongoya made that statement from his office in Kampala during an interview with reporter Dennis Kabatto.
Read excerpts from that interview below:
David Lewis Rubongoya: Today we announced that we are withdrawing the election petition and we are saying that because the courts are biased against us. They have refused us to file evidence, they have done so many things that we consider wrong and immoral and we think that they are biased against us.
So, we decided to withdraw the case from the Supreme Court of Uganda. And we have announced that we will announce the next course of action but in summary, we are taking this case back to the people because the people are sovereign and the people are supreme.
DK: So, when did you officially withdraw the petition, when?
David Lewis Rubongoya: The process of withdrawing the case is a bit long and it is ongoing. Our lawyers are fighting and then it will have to be heard. And, you know the Court must hear it but we have withdrawn the case cos we have no confidence in the Supreme Court anymore
DK: The Daily Monitor in Kampala reported that on Sunday lawyers for the ruling party National Resistance Movement said that Bobi Wine faces heavy financial implications if he dares to withdraw the petition challenging President Museveni. Is that a bluff or they are just talking?
David Lewis Rubongoya: It is a threat that might be actualized. They have done everything to make Bobi Wine poorer, they have stopped his music shows where they were getting income from. They have stopped his businesses; they have done so many things and this could be one of them but we are ready just like we handled the other issues in the past.
DK: What is it that you want our listeners to know about Bobi Wine’s petition withdrawal against the recent presidential election result?
David Lewis Rubongoya: Your listeners need to understand that Bobi Wine and ourselves as a party we respect the rule of law and good governance that’s why we went to the court. But now that the courts have indicated they are not going to be objective that’s why we decided to go to the people because we have all the evidence of vote-rigging, stuffing of ballots of people who have died a long time.
The election commission is saying that they participated in the vote and we are saying that cannot be allowed to stand. But now the courts have shown that they are biased they are not even allowing us to file evidence so we are saying that is wrong.
The people of the world need to understand that our struggle for freedom is about ensuring that we strengthen the court system to ensure that the country is governed by the dictate of the rule of law and good governance.
DK: Can you update us on People Power executive members and ordinary supporters who were arrested during the election, what is their fate?
David Lewis Rubongoya: Well, our people were arrested they were charged with illegal possession of ammunition those were trumped-up charges. They were arrested and Bobi Wine was never charged. But also, they arrested them on the 30th of December and then claimed he committed the offense in January? crime … so the military courts of course are used to repressed and persecute political opponents in Uganda and we not going to allow that. These comrades are still in the prison we are trying to use all legal avenues available to secure their release
DK: There is a popular deejay producer, Dan Magic a friend of Bobi Wine that was arrested, has he been released?
David Lewis Rubongoya: Dan Magic is Bobi Wines producer, he is also still under detention. He has spent over 60 days in Jail.
DK: How many days was Bobi Wine under house arrest for right after the presidential election?
David Lewis Rubongoya: He was under house for 11 days after the election. And the law gives 15 days for somebody to lodge a presidential election petition. So, he spent 11 out of those days under illegal detention
DK: Many of Bobi Wine’s people are lawyers. You’re the National Secretary General of People Power, are you a lawyer too?
David Lewis Rubongoya: No, the party is National Unity Platform and I am a lawyer.
DK: So, anything else that you want to add or a closing thought that you want our listeners to know about Bobi Wine’s presidential election petition withdrawal?
David Lewis Rubongoya: Not really, I am glad that we conducted this and I encourage your listeners to continue to stand with Ugandans and to continue to bring forth the plight of Ugandans.
