Cancel Results, Insists Besigye

By Vision Reporters COL. Kizza Besigye's lawyers have urged the Supreme Court to nullify the March 12 presidential election, arguing that it was a fraud and a sham. "Your humble petitioner prays that you declare that Museveni Yoweri Kaguta was not validly elected as President of Uganda," said Besigye's lead counsel Joseph Balikuddembe while winding up submission on Saturday evening. Museveni's lawyers will this morning start submissions in his defence. The petition hearing started on Friday and will end on Good Friday. Balikuddembe's colleague Mohammed Mbabazi had earlier told court that the election was marred by ballot stuffing, multiple voting, voting by the underage, voters being disenfranchised, ghost voters and falsification of the results. Mbabazi, during a day-long submission, said there were sham polling stations whose existence was not communicated to the candidates. He said there was non-compliance with the electoral law. Balikuddembe said in spite of the time constraint imposed by the Constitution, they had done their best. "We have fished evidence from all over the country to satisfy your Lordships that the election was a sham," he said. Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki quipped that he had been "impressed." "The first respondent (Museveni) committed illegal practices and offences under the Act. Even his agents committed offences under the Act with his knowledge or consent or approval," said the counsel. Balikuddembe said, "Instead of going to the bush, he (Besigye) has chosen to seek redress in the honourable court." He cited some people who went to the bush after the rigging of the 1980 elections. "What followed was five years of suffering all over the country in a civil war which was result of a bad election," he said. Balikuddembe said the Electoral Commission did a shoddy job. "The respondent had a maximum of four years to prepare and cause the presidential election to be held under conditions of freedom and fairness. This, they have miserably failed," he argued. He said at one point Kasujja wrote a letter to Museveni, appealing and begging him to "redeem" the electoral process that was disintegrating because of the military deployment. "In the letter it is clear, very clear, that the Electoral Commission, which is in charge of this election, had given up," he argued and added that he saw no way the court could hold that the election was free and fair. Ends