By Douglas Mazune and Edward Anyoli

FUFA delegates can now pack their bags and head to Arua for the elective assembly due this Saturday.

Justice Vincent Zehukirize yesterday rejected an application by FUFA presidential aspirant Godfrey Kwizera for an interim order to block the national football body’s assembly, before his petition against the electoral process is heard.

Kwizera’s lawyer Frank Kanduho had argued that if the assembly went on before the petition was heard, it would affect the outcome of the case.

In his ruling, Zehukirize said there was no way the case would be jeopardised.

The ruling effectively confirmed this Saturday’s assembly which had been cast in doubt due to Kwizera’s application.

Kwizera who declared his intention to challenge incumbent Lawrence Mulindwa for the presidency, was elected Kabale delegate but did not show up for nominations whose deadline was extended twice.

Mulindwa, the only nominee for FUFA’s top seat, will consequently just be confirmed on Saturday for another four-year term despite the ongoing case.

Kanduho submitted that the returning officer Patrick Okanya acted unlawfully when he originated election guidelines by putting nominations outside the assembly. He also argued that imposition of a sh2m nomination fee for presidential aspirants and sh50,000 for delegates was unlawful, exorbitant and only meant to enrich FUFA.

“Even if the election guidelines had been of legality, they were so hurriedly originated, secretively published and so skewed that it was not humanly possible for Kwizera to comply with them,” Kanduho argued.

FUFA lawyer Nestor Byamugisha, said that the process was in accordance with the FUFA constitution.

“He (Kwizera) was a FUFA executive member between 2001-2004 and the same practices were observed during his time. There’s due evidence to prove that. You cannot be a pauper and you want to be a FUFA president. You will be stealing FUFA money,” Byamugisha argued.

The judge is yet to fix a date for judgment.