KAMPALA – Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo has set a tight timeline within which Robert Kyagulanyi’s legal team will file their affidavits in the case where he is challenging President Museveni’s election victory.
Kyagulanyi’s legal team has up to February 14 to file their affidavits in the matter while the respondents(Museveni) have up to February 20 to file their response.
Justice Owiny-Dollo made the directive during the pre-hearing of the election case on Thursday, 11 February 2021.
He said after Museveni’s team have filed their response, Kyagulanyi’s lawyers will also have to file their rejoinder by February 23 whereas the case will come for pre-hearing on February 24.
“It is 10 days today that we have used of the 45 days stipulated. You will be given 30 minutes for oral submissions and this is purposely for highlighting and not presenting the entire submissions. Don’t meander all over the words,” the Chief Justice said.
“You know what you have in your arsenal and make use of it in the 30 minutes,” he added.
Justice Owiny-Dollo also asked for cooperation for quick dispensation of justice.
“From now I don’t want learned counsels to look at one another as opponents. They only believe their client has a case. In whatever we do let’s do it with responsibility. We all love Uganda and it’s the duty of Ugandans to strengthen the Courts of Justice. There’s no other alternative”~ Justice Owiny-Dollo said after Mr Sseggona told court that the Attorney General, Mr William Byaruhanga (3rd respondent) had discriminated against them (applicant’s lawyers).
The CJ also advised lawyers involved in the petition to mind about time because the Supreme Court is expected to deliver its judgment on March 18, 2021.
Mr Kyagulanyi, the runner-up in the January 14 presidential election, petitioned court seeking to nulfy Mr Museveni’s victory following what he described as a sham election.
Mr Museveni, a 76-year-old former rebel leader who has ruled since 1986, won a sixth term in office with 58.6 percent of the vote. Mr Kyagulanyi, a 38-year-old singer-turned-MP, came a distant second with 34.8 percent and slammed the vote as a sham.
