National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has explained why he will withdraw his election petition if three justices on the nine-member Supreme Court do not recuse themselves from the case.
The three are: Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, Mike Chibita and Ezekiel Muhanguzi.
Bobi Wine accuses the trio of bias.
He has also castigated President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni for destroying institutions, including the Supreme Court.
“Ordinarily, the Supreme Court is the oppressed people’s last place of refuge. But whatever Museveni has done to the institutions of this country, only God knows. Courts are enjoined by Article 126(1) of the Constitution to exercise judicial power in the name of the people, and not in the name of Museveni!” Bobi Wine said on February 16.
He also explained his decision to ask the three judges to leave his petition.
“The laws of this country permit litigants with strong grounds to apply and request that justices who have clear conflict of interest in a case recuse themselves from hearing the matter. It is evident that some of these justices are clearly biased and therefore not competent to proceed and hear our petition.”
Bobi Wine explained, at length, why Owiny-Dollo should recuse himself from the petition; and touched on why he thinks Chibita and Muhanguzi should also be knocked off the bench.
In Bobi Wine’s words…
Owiny-Dollo
On February 05, Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo invited Gen. Museveni to the opening of this year’s New Law Year and showered praises on him, while making requests to him to handle as president in the next year!
Here we were, having filed our petition against and election thief, yet the person sitting in judgement in the matter seems to have predetermined the case a long time ago.
It will be recalled that in the recent years, Museveni has not participated in the opening of the Law Year.
The timing of the invitation was very suspect to say the least! Most importantly, the conduct of the Chief Justice was unsettling.
The citizens who watched the event on TV were disturbed. Museveni concluded his remarks with an invitation to the Chief Justice to discuss the requests he had just made!
Mike Chibita
Justice Mike Chibita is Museveni’s former private secretary for seven years.
Ugandans recall quite well, how he handled the affairs of a political nature as DPP.
Ezekiel Muhanguzi
We also know that the Honorable Justice Ezekiel Muhanguzi is a relative to Gen Elly Tumwine – a person that the national and international community has castigated for abuse of human rights — a very very powerful regime apologist has a relative who is going to determine the fate of his boss.
