{UAH} Uganda: Besigye Vows to Defy Court Defiance Ban

Uganda: Besigye Vows to Defy Court Defiance Ban
Tagged:
East AfricaGovernanceLegal AffairsUganda
Tweet
Share
Google+
By Urn
Rtd Col Kizza Besigye says he will defy the "political persecution" order issued yesterday by deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma because it is unfair.

Yesterday, Justice Kavuma issued an interim order stopping Besigye and his opposition political party, Forum for Democratic change (FDC) from holding planned peaceful demonstrations at Nakivubo Blue primary school on May 5.

The order also includes stopping the party's 'Free My Vote' Tuesday prayers that have been ongoing for over two months, as well as banning media houses from carrying any such message of the prayers.

Addressing the media this afternoon at his home in Kasangati in Wakiso district, Besigye said that it is absurd that the judgement was made without their representation in court.

Besigye says that the party is still moving on with their planned demonstration, their weekly prayers and that he will continue addressing the press because it is his constitutional right.

"This was an exparte (one-sided) judgment, an exparte judgment that had overwhelming impact on a party that was not in court. This is quite obviously unfair to say the least, it violates the fundamental tenet of justice which presupposes that you listen to another party especially where the effects of your pronouncements have such wide ranging and serious consequences to fundamental rights", he said.

"It is not like heaven was about to collapse on earth that there was a need for an emergency, people [Besigye and FDC representatives] who are in town can not be summoned and heard. So that is the first disappointment, the restriction on our rights is simply capricious, it does not answer to the dictates of the constitution and to what extent that ruling is unjust and is one of the things that will shall defy"

Besigye said the regime has set out to personally deny him and his party their constitutional rights.

"How can they block FDC from holding addressing the media yet their own and other political parties are doing so - political persecution. Orders from every allover - Besigye not allowed to do this and that. I think they are even about to come up with the 'Besigye Act'. Very soon we shall have the 'Besigye Act' targeting Besigye. Persecution which the constitution forbids"

Besigye says it a shame and unprecedented for court to ban prayers - more so in a country whose motto is "For God and My Country". Besigye says with the banning of FDC prayers, Kavuma probably wants it to read 'For Kavuma and My Country'

Besigye insists that they are seeking for an independent audit because they have proof that he won the 2016 presidential elections. He said that he is waiting to receive the formal ruling from the Constitutional court and then the party will scrutinize it and then they will make the specific actions to the public.

--
Disclaimer:Everyone posting to this Forum bears the sole responsibility for any legal consequences of his or her postings, and hence statements and facts must be presented responsibly. Your continued membership signifies that you agree to this disclaimer and pledge to abide by our Rules and Guidelines.To unsubscribe from this group, send email to: ugandans-at-heart+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com