Lawyers seek to eject case seeking to block opposition pressure groups

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Lawyers representing Presidential Candidate Robert Kyagulanyi have asked the Constitutional Court to dismiss a petition challenging the activities of People Power pressure group because it is overtaken by events.

The lawyers led by Anthony Wameli made the plea after the conferencing of the case in which former Ruhaama County Aspirant, Adens Ntare Rutaaro asked the court to declare as illegal, any activities by People Power and the People’s government under Dr Kizza Besigye, the former Forum for Democratic Change party president.

He jointly accused the two groups of mobilising and running political activities yet they are not registered political organizations. Through his lawyer, Jacob Rubeizi, Rutaaro argued that the actions of establishing the said organizations, organizing political activities and mobilizing membership with a view of influencing political processes and participating in governance were unconstitutional.

But on Wednesday,  Wameli told journalists at the Constitutional Court that the case was a nonstarter. He added that the case lost its main ground when Kyagulanyi joined the National Unity Platform, a legally registered political party. Wameli added that this was not a matter for Constitutional interpretation, rather a human rights enforcement issue.

Constitutional court Registrar Mary Babirye directed all parties to put in written submissions and return to court on January 19, 2021, to confirm if they complied with her orders such that she can forward the file to the panel of the five Constitutional Court Justices for hearing.  

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