Court Dismisses Petition Seeking To Block NRM Appointees

In December last year, Alipanga petitioned the constitutional court seeking to block new appointees to key NRM party positions from assuming office, stopping the popularization of the sole presidential candidate resolution and implementation of recommendations in the Seninde report.

It came after the NRM national executive conference approved amendments to the NRM constitution that led to the scrapping of elections for key party officials in favor of appointed ones.

As a result, president Museveni nominated Justine Kasule Lumumba for secretary general, Richard Todwong, deputy secretary general, Rose Namayanja, treasurer,  Dr Kenneth Omona, Deputy  Treasurer and  Dr Tanga Odoi, NRM electoral commission chairperson.

On Wednesday, Justice Kavuma heard submissions from Alipanga’s lawyers led by John Mary Mugisha and NRM lawyers led by Kiryowa Kiwanuka.

This afternoon, Justice Kavuma delivered his ruling in the constitutional court on Twed plaza near fairway hotel.

He explained that despite the fact that, Alipanga had raised serious issues in his petition based on the pleadings on record, he failed to persuade court on the balance of convenience showing that he would suffer irreparable loss if the injunction is not granted.

He therefore dismissed the applications. However, Justice Kavuma noted that, court would address the pertinent issues raised in the petition during the hearing of the main petition and asked the registrar to fix the case at the earliest opportune moment.

He said the costs of the suite shall abide in the main suite. John Mary Mugisha, the lead lawyer of the petitioner said that he client was not satisfied with the ruling and court proceedings. He said they will study the ruling and appeal before a panel of three judges in the same court.

However, the court ruling didn’t end without drama as a number of poor NRM youths displayed placards denouncing President Yoweri Museveni.

“Down with Museveni” Read one of the placards. “He has cut his own tree he is sitting on” read another. The youths disrupted traffic prompting the intervention of police to calm them down. However, none of the youths was picked up.