News
Judge closes hearing in election petition against minister Nameere
The NUP-sponsored candidate for Masaka City Woman Parliamentary flag bearer, Rose Nalubowa, petitioned the court seeking to nullify the victory of Nameere.
Masaka City Woman MP Justine Nameere (NRM) testifies via Zoom before the High Court in Masaka during an election petition filed by NUP flag bearer Rose Nalubowa, who is challenging Namere’s victory. (Credit: Dismus Buregyeya)
By: Dismus Buregeya, Journalist @New Vision
___________________
The High Court, handling the election petition against the state minister for Local Government, Justine Nameere and the Electoral Commission (EC), has closed the hearing of evidence.
Justice Benard Namanya, who is presiding over the Masaka City Woman MP election trial, expunged the five witnesses for Nameere and instructed the parties in the case to file their submissions by October 16.
The parties unanimously agreed to expunge the remaining witnesses, which include Emmanuel Kawesi, Sadiq Lubega, Mark Kizza, Futuma Namiro and Ali Kateregga.
The NUP-sponsored candidate for Masaka City Woman Parliamentary flag bearer, Rose Nalubowa, petitioned the court seeking to nullify the victory of Nameere.
The parties unanimously agreed to expunge the remaining witnesses, which include Emmanuel Kawesi, Sadiq Lubega, Mark Kizza, Futuma Namiro and Ali Kateregga.
The NUP-sponsored candidate for Masaka City Woman Parliamentary flag bearer, Rose Nalubowa, petitioned the court seeking to nullify the victory of Nameere.
She argues that Masaka Chief Magistrate Herbert Assimwe's decision to allow the vote recount process to continue even when several ballot box seals had been found broken was an error, among others.
During the cross-examination, Nameere said that the petitioner (Nalubowa) and her lawyer Samuel Muyizzi stormed out of the vote recount process. But Muyizzi instead claimed that Nameere had failed to defend herself. Her witnesses, he added, were also defeated.
The EC lawyer, Geofrey Kandebe, said the decision by Nalubowa and Muyizzi to abandon the vote recount process affected her capacity to defend her petition grounds. The EC legal team led by Joseph Kalungi said the EC complied with the Court's decisions regarding the vote recount petition process.
During the cross-examination, Nameere said that the petitioner (Nalubowa) and her lawyer Samuel Muyizzi stormed out of the vote recount process. But Muyizzi instead claimed that Nameere had failed to defend herself. Her witnesses, he added, were also defeated.
The EC lawyer, Geofrey Kandebe, said the decision by Nalubowa and Muyizzi to abandon the vote recount process affected her capacity to defend her petition grounds. The EC legal team led by Joseph Kalungi said the EC complied with the Court's decisions regarding the vote recount petition process.