KAMPALA, UGANDA: The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has said its ready to defend their Candidate ‘Museveni’s victory in the 2021 presidential elections despite attempts to file a petition by Robert Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform seeking to nullify the victory over election malpractice.
In a press conference held at the Party headquarters in Kyadondo, Kampala, NRM’s secretary general, Ms Justine Kasule Lumumba said the party has made all the necessary preparations and have assembled a legal team to handle the National Unity Platform (NUP)’s presidential election petition which is slated to be filed in the Supreme Court today.
“We have heard of somebody going to court. As a party we have all our declaration (of results) forms from all the polling stations. We have them ready and when we are served, we shall respond,” Ms Lumumba said.
She added: “When the Electoral Commission (EC) got the full results, they gave us a copy. Our lawyers are going through the declaration of results forms to see what is missing so that the secretary general can provide the necessary support.”
Ms Lumumba’s statement came after the NUP lawyers wrote to the Supreme Court on Saturday seeking to file the presidential election petition contesting Mr Museveni’s victory as announced by the EC on January 16.
However, the Supreme Court turned down the NUP request, saying courts do not work on weekends.
The NUP lawyers, led by Wameli and Company Advocates had asked the Supreme Court to allow them file the petition on Saturday as a measure to beat the 15-day deadline provided for under Article 104 of the Constitution as amended in 2017.
The court advised the lawyers that they would be allowed to file the petition today since the 15th day deadline fell on the weekend when courts are closed.
None of the previous three presidential elections petitions challenging Mr Museveni’s victory have succeeded. The previous petitions were filed by Mr Amama Mbabazi in 2016 and Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC) Col Dr Kizza Besigye in 2001 and 2006.
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