6 NEW VISION, Friday, April 1, 2016 NATIONAL NEWS Amama Mbabazi expresses NRM invites Besigye, Mbabazi for talks By David Lumu working with Mbabazi and reservations on the ruling Besigye. They were leaders in With the Supreme Court NRM. Mbabazi has not even By Moses Mulondo petition done and dusted, what returned the NRM party card, next for former prime minister which means he can still work Former independent Amama Mbabazi, is the major with us. Dr. Besigye should presidential candidate Amama political question taking centre also come. NRM invites these Mbabazi has expressed stage. leaders for talks, so that we can reservations about the verdict Speaking to journalists discuss all their issues,” she the judges of the Supreme yesterday, Mbabazi said he said, shortly after the Supreme Court gave yesterday on needs time to exhaustively Court ruling. his petition challenging the answer the question of what “If President Museveni has declaration of President Yoweri next, citing the necessity to been sending teams, some Museveni as the winner of the meet his lawyers and members headed by Dr. Ruhakana presidential election that was of his camp to determine the Rugunda (Prime Minister), to conducted on February 18, way forward. talk to rebels like the leader 2016. However, according to of the Lord’s Resistance Army Flanked by DP president officials from the National Joseph Kony, he could as well Norbert Mao and Justice Forum Resistance Movement (NRM), accommodate Mbabazi and boss Asuman Basalirwa, among the what next package for Besigye, if they return home. others, at the Go Forward Mbabazi is a political sandwich We welcome them to the office in Nakasero, Kampala, of embracing direct talks with roundtable, so that we can Mbabazi said the judgment fell President Yoweri Museveni and debate the issues that forced short of his expectations. seeking political counseling them to leave NRM,” she said. He expressed disappointment from highly experienced Besigye, who broke ranks that the judges never political elders, so that they can with Museveni in 1999, was the considered the raids on the massage his nasty Supreme National Political Commissar chambers of his lawyers and Court loss constructively. and internal affairs state other forms of tampering with Yesterday, all the nine minister, while Mbabazi served evidence like intimidating and justices of the Supreme Court in the NRM government in arresting his witnesses in their Mbabazi addressing the media at the Go Forword offices in Nakasero, Kampala dismissed with no costs various capacities such as judgment. yesterday. Looking on is Asuman Basalirwa, the JEEMA party president Mbabazi’s petition challenging defence minister, Attorney “My summary of the judgment the election of Museveni in the General, secretary general of is that the judges said we have the petitioner had presented. February 18 general elections. the NRM and prime minister. listened to the petitioner, but Mbabazi said the judges did not “Unfortunately, that was not Lumumba added that the he did not produce sufficient done. Actors like Gen. Kale other alternative Mbabazi can evidence. My answer is yes Kayihura should have been take is to seek counsel from I did not present sufficient consider the raids on the chambers summoned to explain why they BETWEEN THE LINES: a team of political advisors, evidence because our evidence behaved in a partisan manner. n Without clearly stating so that he can manage the gathering was tampered with,” of his lawyers and other forms of The judges said the allegations whether he welcomes the double loss, underscoring that he explained. were not proved by evidence NRM’s invitation for talks the silver lining in Mbabazi’s Citing various incidents of tampering with evidence before court, but there is or not, Mbabazi told the court defeat is the fact that the how state agencies reportedly evidence outside court and we press in Kampala that Supreme Court has exonerated tampered with evidence shall present it to the public,” he hates the politics of NRM and its flag-bearer, gathering, including arrests Rakai, who he said had been a decision on the basis of lack he stated. enmity, which he said Museveni. and intimidation of his arrested several times, remains evidence, I accept it. Yes, the Pointing out areas of reforms, has soiled the political “He (Mbabazi) lost the witnesses and the raiding of in detention at Kireka. ruling has come. We go by it.” Mbabazi also observed that landscape in the country. presidential elections and the chambers of his lawyers The other incident he said, Pressed further on whether the 10 days within which a now he has lost the petition. and how the court rejected his was of his co-ordinator for he would regard President presidential petition has to be Yet, in what could be the To manage this double loss, rejoinders, Mbabazi said there Buyende, Mosy Kinga, who Museveni as the legitimate filed and the time given to the pivotal moment of the post- Mbabazi needs political was no opportunity to present he said was arrested by state leader of Uganda for the next court (30 days) to conclude the February general elections, counselling from senior the evidence he had. security agencies and was later five years, Mbabazi said: “As I case is not sufficient. Justine Kasule Lumumba, political elders. Mbabazi has “For instance, the chambers found dead. He said his body said sometime back, the results On what next after the ruling, the NRM secretary general, helped to exonerate us from the of Muwema and Company was found dumped near his Dr. Badru Kiggundu declared Mbabazi said: “We will inform yesterday announced that the 20 allegations. So, everything Advocates had about 300 (Kinga’s) house. By press time, were not a reflection of the will Ugandans on our next course of party had invited Mbabazi and that they were alleging against affidavits which were stolen. New Vision had not verified of the people.” action. We are already carrying Dr. Col. Kizza Besigye of the our candidate and NRM Eyewitnesses confirmed to these claims. On whether he still has out consultations with various Forum for Democratic Change has been found false by the us that those who stole the In light of the various confidence in the judges as he stakeholders. We shall consider (FDC) for direct political talks. court,” she said, congratulating documents were wearing Police incidents of interference with had said at the beginning of the various options available Calling on Mbabazi and Museveni, NRM supporters uniforms. There was no time for the case by state agencies, his petition, Mbabazi said: “I to us. Whatever action we will Besigye to respect the decision and Ugandans for winning us to gather the witnesses from Mbabazi said at some point, have not lost confidence in the take, we will be exercising our of the Supreme Court, the case. On the other hand, various parts of the country to his lawyers advised him to judges. I still have confidence constitutional rights.” Lumumba told journalists the FDC camp and Besigye swear the affidavits again,” he withdraw the petition, but he in them.” Reiterating his position yesterday at the NRM recently came out to say they said. He also said some of his encouraged them to pursue that he parted ways with the headquarters in Kampala, if have no problem with opening supporters have been killed the case to the end amid all the Other concerns leadership of NRM over veering Mbabazi and Besigye agree dialogue links with Museveni and others remain in Police challenges. Mbabazi, who is also a former from democratic principles to open talks with NRM and and NRM as long as such custody. Asked whether he had Attorney General, argued that and values, Mbabazi vowed Museveni, the possibility of talks are structured with an Mbabazi also reported accepted the verdict of the in the course of handling the he would continue working working with them in the agreeable agenda, convened by that one Amos Kaheru, a Go Supreme Court and its case, the Supreme Court ought with democracy-seeking forces Government for the good of the a neutral arbitrator and thick Forward co-ordinator and consequences, Mbabazi said: to have carried out an inquiry so as to promote democracy country could come to a reality. on the national consensus parliamentary candidate from “To the extent that court took to get information beyond what in the country. “There is no problem with framework. 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