Fufa assembly faces two court injunctions

Two groups, one here in Kampala and other in Lira, are seeking an injunction on the elective assembly that is expected to endorse incumbent Moses Magogo for another four-year term.

The body’s president, Magogo, is currently unopposed following the Fufa Electoral Committee’s disqualification of Mujib Kasule as he didn’t meet the requirements for that office.

In the first instance, High Court Judge Henrietta Wolayo will deliver a ruling today in case where three “fans” sought an interim order.

Edwin Bazanye, Paul Mugamba and Solomon Bbiira asked court to temporarily halt the looming Fufa presidential elections until the main case where they challenge the process is heard.

The trio is represented by lawyers from Nsamba & Company Advocates They want court to restrain Fufa from organising and conducting the elections before determining their main case.

Fufa chief executive officer (CEO) Edgar Watson told court on Tuesday that the trio are not members of Fufa but just fans of different football clubs and do not participate in internal elections and their application should be dismissed.

The process in question which was used to deliver 88 delegates to the assembly slated for next Saturday in Masindi started with elections at district level and went to the eight Fufa regions.

The defendants include the Attorney General, National Council of Sports, Watson, Magogo, Fufa EC boss Samuel Bakiika and his deputy Yusuf Awuye.

This same group is wanted in Lira today for the hearing of a similar case filed by Dan Obote, Mike Odongo and Dan Ogwal Engondo.

The trio, through their lawyers Nsamba & Company Advocates, also seek an injunction citing irregularities in the conduct of the electoral process.

Fufa lawyer Ambrose Tebyasa asked court to dismiss the applications, saying that it was filed in bad faith to disorganise the Fufa programmes.

Tebyasa further submitted that none of the complainants is likely to suffer damages as they claim, if the elections take place, because they never showed interest in the elections.

However, Obote, Odongo and Engondo were candidates in the Fufa elections when they were conducted in northern region.

The petitioners accuse Fufa of conducting their election irregularly and unlawfully.
They cite the body’s Article 1 by which it is a private limited company by guarantee with an objective of depriving public and National Council of Sports (NCS) from exercising their constitutional right and privileges.

In both lawsuits, the plaintiffs want court to order for fresh nominations of the Fufa presidential aspirants under the normal procedure. They claim that Fufa constitution does not provide for a FUFA electoral commission committee.
This committee was however approved at the last assembly in Luweero.