Bobi Wine petition: EU sends clear warning to Owiny-Dollo, other Supreme Court judges

The European Union (EU) Parliament has put Supreme Court judges, led by Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo, over a petition filed by National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine.

Bobi Wine scored 35 per cent of just over 10 million votes cast in the January 14 presidential electon.

He challenged the results of the election in the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn incumbent President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni’s victory, and orders for a rerun.

Museveni has ruled Uganda since 1986.

If his victory is upheld by the highest court in the land, the 76-year-old former bush war commander will have have a chance to extend his rule to four decades by the end of of his term in 2026.

But just about a month to the Supreme Court judgement day of March 18, the EU Parliament cautioned the bench against sweeping proof of electoral malpractice under the carpet.

Nine Supreme Court Justices will decide on the matter.

They are: Owiny-Dollo, Lady Justices Dr Esther Kisaakye Kitimbo, Stella Arach-Amoko, Faith Essy Mwondha, and Percy Night Tuhaise; as well as justices Rubby Aweri Opio, Paul Kahaibale Mugamba,  Ezekiel Muhanguzi and Mike Chibita.

In one of the resolutions the EU Parliament passed last week, members of the union’s legislative arm (MEPs) called on “the Ugandan judiciary to objectively and independently apply the existing legislative framework and to take full note of the facts and evidence available.”

The MEPs further emphasized that “appeals against and challenges to election results are a fundamental feature of a credible electoral process.”

They made it clear they expected “all election challenges and complaints to be addressed in an independent and transparent manner using the available constitutional and legal remedies.”

In previous presidential petitions, Supreme Court judges have confirmed irregularities in the electoral process but ruled that the malpractices were not substantial enough to warrant the annulment of the election results and overturn Museveni’s victories.