‘Museveni Would Not Be Wrong To Campaign’

By Solomon MuyitaPRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni’s role in the Rukungiri district Women parliamentary elections has been defended in court.Rukungiri Woman MP, Winifred Masiko’s lawyers, Wilson Kwarisiima, yesterday told the Kampala High Court that if at all Museveni campaigned for Masiko, he did it in the ordinary course of his duties as provided by the Constitution.“It is not clearly stated that it is an offence to use the presidency in an election. And the petitioner (Babihuga) did not prove to court that the President went to any campaign rally and asked voters to vote for Masiko. But if he did, he was in the normal course of his duties,” Kwarisiima told court.This came during final submissions in an election petition filed against Masiko by the former Woman MP, Winnie Babihuga, at the High Court. Other respondents in the petition before Justice Musoke Kibuuka are the Electoral Commission and Rukungiri Returning Officer, Frank Ntaho. Babihuga’s lawyer, Blaize Babigumira, on Tuesday told the court that Museveni instituted vote rigging for Masiko in the district, when he visited the area on June 12 and 13, 2001.Court heard that Museveni held a meeting with top district officials, local council executives, security agencies and Masiko’s campaign agents.Ends