NRM lines 36 lawyers to defend Museveni victory

President-elect Yoweri museveni receives a petition from Mr Amama Mbabazi’s lawyers Michael Akampurir and Severino Twinobusingye at State House Entebbe yesterday. Photo by PPU 

National Resistance Movement (NRM) has lined a team of 36 lawyers to defend the party against a petition in which the Go Forward team is seeking the annulment of the election of Mr Yoweri Museveni in the February 18 presidential elections.

The team will be led by Mr James Mukasa-Ssebugenyi the NRM head of legal services and former Law Society President.
Others on the team include Mr Peter Kabatsi, former Solicitor General, Mr Joseph Matsiko, former director of Civil Litigation, Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, the NRM legal counsel and Mr Edwin Karugire, Mr Museveni’s son-in-law, among others.

Mr Oscar Kihika, a prominent Kampala lawyer, who has been nominated as the spokesperson for the NRM legal team confirmed the composition of the team, saying, “We are preparing our defence and we shall file it before the end of deadline on Sunday,” he said, adding, “We are also analysing the case”.

Last Tuesday the Go Forward team led by former prime minister Mr Amama Mbabazi presented 28 grounds on which they are seeking court to annual the election of Mr Museveni.

The grounds among which include issuing bribes and reckless statements, using violence to suppress non NRM supporters, threatening to arrest presidential candidates and ballot stuffing, will form the basis on which the Go Forward team will argue its case for the annulment of the election.

The Electoral Commission, which is the second respondent in the case, has hired hired four external lawyers to shove its team.
The team which include Mr Enos Tumusiime, Mc Dusman Kabega, Alfred Oryem-Okello, Enock Barata and Elison Karuhanga, will be led by EC’s head of legal department Mr Eric Sabiiti.

Nine judges including Augustine Nshimye, Easter Kisakye, Rubby Opio Aweri, Jonathan Tumwesigye, Stella Arach-Amoko, Eldad Mwangushya, Faith Mwodha and Lilian E. Tibatemwa have been lined up by the Supreme Court to hear the case, which considering the attention around it, would generate a lot of debate.

The Attorney General, who is the third respondent in the case, will be represented by seven lawyers led by Attorney General Freddie Ruhindi.

Others on the team include Mr Francis Atoke, the Solicitor General, Mr Dennis Bireije director for Civil Litigation, Mr Martin Mwambutsya, commissioner for Civil Litigation and Ms Patricia Mutesi a senior State Attorney, and Mr Elisha Bafilawala, Mr George Karemera and Jackie Amusugut – all State Attorneys.
The Go Forward team (petitioner) will be represented by 60 lawyers led by Mr John Mary Mugisha.

Others are Fred Muwema, Mr Severino Twinobusingye and Micheal Akampurira, among others.

osemakula@ug.nationmedia.com