Two times former presidential aspirant Abed Bwanika and his counterpart the SDP boss Michael Mabikke are preparing to battle Bobi Wine in courts of law accusing him and his people power spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi for leaving them out of the coordination team he announced last week.
According to inside sources which are close to the duo told our reporter that Bwanika and Mabikke almost fainted when they realised that they have been left out of the team yet they have contributed 80% to popularising the People Power brand.
“They went everywhere…on radio, on television stations promoting People Power. They even attacked other opposition leaders thinking it would endear them to Bobi Wine. But this is how they have been repaid,” said a source close to the duo.
Last week, Kyagulanyi, popularly known by his music stage name Bobi Wine, unveiled a 150-member team to boost his 2021 presidential aspirations. Besigye unveiled his outfit last year.
We have been told that the suit will be filed by Mabikke, who is a lawyer, this week. Among other things, they say that their omission has led to psychological torture and embarrassment.
Bobi and Besigye to battle another Law Suit
Court has been petitioned to quash People Power and People’s Government outfits, saying they are usurping the space of legally registered political parties.
On Friday, an aggrieved citizen, Ntale Adens Rutaro, petitioned the Constitutional Court, saying the unregistered outfits made a mockery of political organisations by naming mobilisers.
The outfits are associated with Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, and former Forum for Democratic Change president, Kizza Besigye. The petitioner claims to be a registered voter from Ruhaama, Ntungamo district.
Kyagulanyi, Besigye, People Power spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi and the Attorney General (AG) are listed as respondents (defendants).
Rutaro contends that naming such mobilisation teams is a preserve of duly registered and gazetted political entities. “The actions of the first and second respondents (Kyagulanyi and Besigye), under their unregistered political organisations, are in contravention of Article 72(2) of the Constitution of Uganda,” the petition states. Article 72(2) is about the right to form political organisations.
It specifically says “An organisation, shall not operate as a political party or organisation unless it conforms to the principles laid down in this Constitution and it is registered”.
Rutaro says Besigye’s self-styled ‘People’s President’ tag is an affront to the Constitution, specifically Article 103, which stipulates how the head of state is elected. The petitioner faults the AG by saying not halting the activities of the two outfits is an abandonment of a Constitutional mandate.
The court registrar has directed the respondents to make a timely reply to the summons, dated July 26, lest a pronouncement is made without their input.
“Take notice that Ntale Adens Rutaro has filed a petition against you in this court. You are hereby required to file an answer within 10 days of the petition being served to you,” the summons state. “Should you fail to file the answer on or before the date mentioned above, the petitioner may proceed with the pe
