Full verdict of Mbabazi petition delayed
Kampala- The delivery of the full and detailed judgment in the presidential election petition involving former prime minister Amama Mbabazi and President Museveni will be delayed by at least a week, Chief Justice Bart Katureebe has said.
According to the earlier road map, the Supreme Court was supposed to read out the full verdict latest Thursday.
However, according to the Chief Justice, who led a panel of nine justices in hearing the petition in March, at the weekend told Daily Monitor that the justices will not be able to beat the three-month deadline due to the absence of two of their colleagues.
Justice Katureebe said they need at least one more week.
“This is because Justice Esther Kisaakye is abroad to have surgery and Justice Jotham Tumwesigye is also away,” Chief Justice Katureebe said.
On March 31, Justice Katureebe while giving the court’s mini verdict in which President Museveni’s February 18 reelection was upheld, said the court will within 90 days give its detailed judgment. The 90 days will lapse on Thursday this week.
In an earlier interview with this newspaper, Justice Katureebe said the most important thing is that the court has already given its decision about the presidential election and that there was no cause for alarm.
In the earlier mini verdict, the court unanimously agreed that although there was non-compliance by the Electoral Commission in conducting the elections, the same non-compliance did not substantially affect the final results to warrant nullification.
The court further held that Mr Mbabazi’s lawyers didn’t adduce sufficient evidence to support their allegations against Mr Museveni.
“We hereby declare that the 1st respondent (M7) was validly elected as President in accordance with Article 104 of the Constitution and section 59 of the Presidential Elections Act,” ruled the justices.
“Accordingly, this petition is dismissed with no order as to costs,” the justices added.