Sebaggala drops English, opts to testify in Luganda

Aug 23, 2016

He is accusing a one Zaid Mukasa of fraudulently claiming to be his party's secretary general.

Former Kampala mayor, Nasser Ntege Sebaggala, also known as Seya, stunned many in court when he politely declined to speak English and requested to be availed a Luganda interpreter to guide him through his testimony.

Sebaggala, who had been asked to testify in a case in which he is accusing a one Zaid Mukasa of fraudulently claiming to be his party's secretary general, opted to testify in Luganda.

However, during the course of his testimony, the former Kampala mayor failed to present to court original documents showing that he is the duly elected president of the Liberal Democratic Transparency (LDT) party.

After telling court that he registered the party in May 2010, his lawyer, Nelson Walusimbi, who was guiding him through the testimony, presented photocopies of the certificate of the parties' registration, only to be rejected by Mukasa's lawyer - Deus Byamugisha Barusya - who said it was illegible.

Walusimbi's second attempt at trying to have another letter purportedly forged by Mukasa, addressed to the Electoral Commission presenting Sebaggala as the party's acting president, was thwarted by Barusya who demanded its original copy.

This prompted Justice Patricia Basaza Wasswa, who was presiding over the matter, to adjourn it and direct Sebaggala and his lawyers to avail all the copies of the documents they intend to use during the hearing of the case to Barusya, including the originals.

Last year, Sebaggala dragged Mukasa to court accusing him of misrepresenting himself as the party's general secretary while referring to Sebaggala as the acting president, yet he had been fired from the party.

He accused Mukasa of authoring false documents with regard to the party yet he had long been suspended.

On Monday, Sebaggala sat calmly in the court and sought an interpreter as he relayed his evidence in Luganda before court.

"I am the president general of the party. I registered it on May 29, 2010 and brought it to the attention of the Electoral Commission. However, I was later shocked to find that Mukasa had registered a similar party with me as the acting president," he said.

He told court Mukasa's act was contrary to the party constitution and constitutes to fraud.

Basaza however, stopped him midway the testimony and adjourned the case until September 8 for further hearing.

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