Kavuma mourns Justice Tsekooko

The former Deputy Chief Justice, Steven Kavuma, has mourned the death of retired Supreme Court Justice John Wilson Tsekooko, who passed away on Monday aged 75.

"I think he did his job. In law, there is a principle we all accept. We agree to disagree. There are many decisions which he took that I would not have agreed with, but that is normal and that is why we have different levels of judicial officers. May his soul rest in peace," he said.

Kavuma, who was speaking to New Vision in an exclusive interview on a wide range of issues at his office in Kibuli, however, didn't reveal the decisions he said the deceased took which he disagreed with.

"At 75, he died early. Sometimes you wish to live up to 110," he added.

Tsekooko passed away at about 4:00 pm at Norvik Hospital in Kampala after losing a battle to prostate cancer.

The former Deputy Chief Justice Stephen Kavuma speaks during an interview with New Vision on Tuesday. Photo by Francis Emorut

Some of Tsekooko's decisions

When Reform Agenda candidate Dr Kizza Besigye challenged the presidential elections in the Supreme Court in 2001 and 2006, each judge then gave his personal reasons for dismissing or allowing the petition.

In 2001, there was a tie-breaker; three-to-two, with Chief Justice Emeritus Benjamin Odoki, Joseph Mulenga and Alfred Karokora, validating Yoweri Museveni's election.

Tsekooko and Arthur Oder (now deceased), annulled, citing statutory breaches.

In 2006, a four-to-three majority decision, Justices Odoki, Karokora, Mulenga and Bart Katureebe, upheld the election. Oder, Tsekooko, and George Kanyeihamba, invalidated the poll.

Tsekooko said Besigye had proved that voter bribery in many districts, unfairness, had affected the result in a substantial manner.

"In my opinion, the difference in the number of votes cannot be the only basis for deciding whether the election results have been affected in a substantial manner. Intimidation, frightening and instilling fear of war among voters cannot be measured, for instance, when it is widespread."

He stressed that views and opinions expressed by the panel would help advance constitutional democracy "in our motherland at least in reforming the relevant laws".