NUP Lawyers want an addendum in the Presidential Elections Petition.

By; Rachael Najjuma

09^th February 2021

Lawyers representing the National unit platform (NUP) in Supreme Court are seeking permission to file additional evidence in the presidential election petition they filed on behalf of Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu a presidential candidate in the recently concluded presidential election.

Led by Counsel Medard Segona, they contend that it was not possible to access Kyagulanyi because he was under house arrest for 10 days and was only released 5 days to the filing of the petition yet during those 10 days Kyagulanyi was only concerned about his freedom that he couldn’t meet his lawyers and agents hence filing the petition with missing evidence.

Segona adds that court should intervene immediately because without this evidence chances of winning this petition are limited.

However Ebert Byenkya from Kihika Byenkya and company advocates who are presenting presidential candidate Museveni who won the contested election in response has objected to Segona’s prayer contending that the time within which court can disposed off this petition cannot allow them to amend the petition since the law only allows 45 days within which court allows for the hearing to be done and 15 days within which all evidence should be filed and submitted.

He further adds that incase court enlarges the time within which a petitioner can bring evidence it will set a bad precedent that pleadings in an election petition will never end.

Nine justices who include; the Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo, Justice Stella Arach, Justice Paul Mugamba,Justice Rubby Opio Aweri, Justice Mike Chibita the former DPP, Dr Esther Kisakye, Justice Ezekiel Muhanguzi, Percy Night Tuhaise and Justice Faith Mwondha are hearing this matter.