ELECTION PETITION , Friday, April 1, 2016 7 Public reacts to Mbabazi petition

The Supreme Court yesterday delivered the much- had in mind such issues National Freedom Party Kizza Besigye , FDC that affect the country but of The standard of proof is so Minister Amama Mbabazi, challenging the result of the presidential candidate course notwithstanding the high that no one can win a election and seeking a declaration that candidate Yoweri There is nothing surprising fact that the petitioner lacked presidential poll petition. The Kaguta Museveni was not validly elected and order that about the court’s verdict. The substantive evidence to pin the judges acted like they were the election be annulled. However, the ruling was in current legal regime cannot respondents. from Mars, yet they were here favour of the incumbent President as offer a meaningful opportunity and saw all that was happening. the petition was unanimously dismissed by the coram of to examine presidential results. Dr. Sabiiti Makara, don They should have taken judicial nine judges. New Vision sought reactions from a cross- A presidential candidate of political science at notice of this. The standard of section of the public. is given 10 days to compile proof should be lowered for The ruling does not promote such petitions. Henry Luke Orombi, but in the end, it concludes that a parliamentary candidate jurisprudence because it is Archbishop emeritus Yoweri Museveni was validly representing one county has 30 unprecedented for all judges of Michael Akampurira, What needs to heal is elected and that the elections days. This petition and court’s verdict have no bearing a Supreme Court to agree on Mbabazi’s not the outcome of the Supreme were transparent? You do on Mr. Museveni’s legitimacy. If I had been given a a ruling. This nature of unison It was a well-reasoned Court, but reconciliation among not need to break all the 10 raises a lot of questions that judgment. We did our job well bickering leaders. Commandments to go to hell; over 90% of the bench rules in given the circumstances. It The Bible talks of you only have to break one. favour of the respondent and was such a short time for us to reconciliation among brothers should be reviewed for that collect evidence from all the 112 and not court procedures. The Medard Sseggona, shadow Joseph Mabirizi, matter. districts. challenge is that the process in minister of justice presidential candidate The Supreme Court should be the Supreme Court can never This decision is a reminder I told you from the beginning lauded for according a listening Isaac Muhindo, be appealed, but we have that you cannot dismantle a that I do not believe in the court ear to both the petitioner businessman parties that are aggrieved, so dictatorship in one day. In some process in this country because and the respondent. The The ruling was fair; judges the bigger picture in resolving areas, I agree with the court, it is grossly defective. independence of the Judiciary tackled every issue presented such an impasse is the Christian while in others, I disagree. in such a political matter is a to them for determination. approach of shaking hands. I am happy the Supreme 2001 and 2006 presidential step in the right direction in a It was a majority ruling and I In a relationship, we need one Court has called for electoral developing democracy. am content so long as there is another and as a nation, we reforms. This is an issue that we ! peace and security. cannot afford looking at each have raised over the years to no interested party in the Mbabazi Henry Kasacca, political other as winners and losers. effect. analyst and tutor at the Didas Nkurunziza, the Supreme Court bench. Democracy and Dialogue Museveni’s lead lawyer Prof. Ogenga Latigo, Mukasa Mbidde, Training Centre I expected the outcome. I former opposition leader DP vice-president Maj. Benon Biraro, An exercise involving human think Mbabazi’s major point The Supreme Court was clear I am disappointed that the court presidential candidate nature is prone to a certain of weakness was the lack of that the evidence presented has put the standard of proof The court’s decision margin of error. Irregularities organisation. He could not was insufficient for any decision beyond the known required were cited and not to say they even get credible affidavits and other than dismissing the level. But there are positives lack of evidence. But I should be ignored because evidence from some of those petition. in the court’s decision. The have a strong conviction when they escalate, it poses a who claim to be his supporters. But ultimately, politics is recommendation on electoral problem. But an entire election He assumed that it was all played outside the hallowed reforms is quite commendable. this country is through exercise cannot be nullified about good English. precincts of court. It is about dialogue. And that is against such a small backdrop feelings and relations. We now Winfred Kiiza, former not to say the insufficiency of Dr. Livingstone have to deal with the political Opposition Chief Whip me. the evidence. Ssewanyana, chairperson aftermath of these elections. The decision of the Supreme Citizen Election Observers Going forward, how we relate Court was expected. The only Julius Galinsonga, Network Uganda as Ugandans and as a nation, drawback is that it undermines Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba, presidential candidate advocate This ruling was expected, regardless of our political the public’s confidence in the "# The decision of a court in because there were difficulties differences, will have a big Judiciary. It is disheartening any matter is premised upon in providing evidence. That bearing on the direction the that an election can be as $%& evidence adduced by a is why we as civil society had country takes. grossly flawed as the recent one, '() complainant. In this case, while applied as amicus curiae but court still seems incapable many allegations of breaching (friends of court) to provide all Jimmy Akena, of cancelling its results. I respect the Supreme Court ruling. I congratulate electoral were made, the necessary evidence UPC president my colleague Mbabazi for taking the brave step of evidence was not laid before As a democrat, I believe it Dr. Kakungulu Mayambala, court to prove the allegations. US embassy is important to respect the don, Makerere School It is sad that even in instances We encourage all Ugandans decision made by the highest The legal regime has not )*# of disenfranchisement of voters, to respect the court’s decision. court in the country. We now changed since 2001 and 2006 not a single affidavit was sworn We hope that the Government have to wait for 90 days to know presidential election petitions. I call on all Ugandans to focus on reconciliation. And to prove this allegation. will now address the grievances the results upon which the So, the court relied on the The substantiality test, which voiced by its own people in the justices premised their decision. substantive test to arrive at its ! is central in a petition of wake of these elections and take decision. the campaign trail. this nature, is hard to prove. the necessary steps to enact , However, I believe the Emphasis should have been put reforms that will guarantee DP president Supreme Court missed an on the alleged illegal activities political inclusiveness, We respect the decision, but opportunity to comment about in an electoral process. due to a number of reasons. of the respondent such as transparency, accountability do not agree with it. The whole the role of militias in the Dr. Frederick Golooba Besides Uganda’s violent bribing voters. and free and fair elections. judgment was weird. How can presidential elections. It should Mutebi, political researcher past, the exercise is expensive Uganda’s future prosperity court first accept that there was have made a strong warning Overturning an election was for a developing country Prof. Joseph Mukasa and democratic progress will a breach of the electoral laws, that such militias have no place a far cry for the petitioner like Uganda. So, the judges Semujju, president of the depend on such actions.