Rebel MPs apologise to Kanyeihamba, Shs300m legal fees case withdrawn
KAMPALA.
Four expelled NRM 'rebel' MPs have apologised to their lawyer and retired Supreme Court Judge Prof. George Kanyeihamba for their unacceptable behaviour during the conduct of one the Supreme Court sessions that saw them part ways.
Consequently, Prof. Kanyeihamba and the rebel MPs have now settled out of court the Shs300 million legal fees case that the former had slapped against the latter for representing them in court but allegedly failed to pay him.
The expelled rebel MPs include; Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga County), Barnabas Tinkasiimire (Buyaga County), Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East) and Muhammed Nsereko (Kampala Central).
In a press release signed by MP Ssekikubo on behalf of his colleagues, he stresses that Prof. Kanyeihamba is still their lead advocate and that they owe their continued stay in Parliament to the professional legal advice he rendered to them.
“In a statement signed on our behalf by Hon. Ssekikubo, we the four expelled NRM rebel MPs through third party mediation, have apologized to Prof. GW Kanyeihamba and Co Advocates and Mr Emmanuel Orono for our unacceptable behavior during the hearings of our petition in the appellants courts of Uganda,” read the rebel MPs’ press statement in part.
The press release further read, “We fully recognize and are grateful that it was mainly through the courageous and professional efforts of Prof. Kanyeihamba and his legal team that our stay in Parliament to-day remains a reality. We have assured Professor that he is still our lead counsel in the petition.”
When contacted, Prof. Kanyeihamba and lawyer Orono, confirmed to the reconciliation process initiated by the rebel MPs’ camp.
In May this year, Prof. Kanyeihamba dragged the four legislators to court for allegedly failing to pay him his legal fees amounting to Shs300 million after he had rendered to them professional legal services.
Prof. Kayeihamba had in his suit stated to have been their lead counsel in defending the rebel MPs before the Constitutional Court as they challenged their move to be kicked out from the House following their expulsion by their NRM party over alleged indiscipline but never paid him.
Throughout the hearing of the rebel MPs’ cases right from the Constitutional Court to Supreme Court, there were outbursts and misunderstandings between the rebel MPs, rival defense lawyers and Prof. Kanyeihamba who even at one time stormed out a heated Constitutional Court session.
The rift climaxed in the Supreme Court when Prof Kanyeihamba and the rival defense lawyers among others filed parallel interim applications for stay of execution of Constitutional Court orders that had ordered the MPs out of Parliament.
The Supreme Court judges ended up hearing the application filed by rival defense lawyers and not the one of Prof. Kanyeihamba.
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