Ex-Bushenyi boss pulls out of West Ankole Diocese case
Some of the applicants including Mr Sam Kahindi (C), Mr Yowasi Makaaru (checked court) and lawyers scrutinise court documents after a session at Mbarara High Court early this week. Photo by Rajab Mukombozi.
What you need to know:
The second applicant in the case against the diocese and Bishop Katoneene pulled out citing person reasons
MBARARA- A case against Trustees of West Ankole Diocese and Bishop Yona Mwesigwa Katoneene, has collapsed after one of the main applicants pulled out citing personal reasons.
Four Christians, including Mr Sam Kahindi, Canon Yowasi Makaaru Rwamango, Mr William Wilberforce Asiimwe and Mr Kenneth Kiiza on May 22 petitioned Mbarara High Court, accusing the Trustees and the Bishop of failure to manage the affairs of the diocese in accordance with the constitution.
According to the applicants, Bishop Katoneene, who was enthroned in 2005, had in violation of established procedures, continued to run the diocese through a Synod whose term of office had expired in May 2012.
However, the hearing of an application seeking a permanent injunction that had been scheduled for Tuesday failed to take off after Mr Makaaru, a Presidential Adviser and former Bushenyi District chairman, withdrew from the suit citing “personal reasons”.
Mr Joseph Matsiko of Kampala Associated Advocates, who represented the defendants, told court the withdrawal had made the application and the main suit inconsequential.
However, Mr Oine Ronald, the applicants’ lawyer, said the withdraw could not prohibit continuity of the case as applicants have different roles in the case.
But the Mbarara High Court deputy registrar, Mr Didas Muhumuza, said the withdrawal had serious effects on the application and the main suit. “Proceeding of this case requires an amendment to the application and main suit,” Justice Muhumuza ruled.
However, when asked about the withdrawal Mr Makaaru maintained that his actions were basically personal as had been indicated in a letter to court.
