Presidential aspirant Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has been sued over the registration and ownership of the newly formed National Unity Platform (NUP) party.
Mr Bobi Wine is jointly sued with the Electoral Commission (EC), Attorney General (AG), NURP acting president Moses Nkonge Kibalama, NUP leaders David Lewis Rubongoya, Aisha Kabanda, Joel Ssenyonyi, Flavia Kalule Nabagabe, Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu and Paul Ssimbwa Kagombe.
National mobilization Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu and Senior administrative secretary Paul Ssimbwa Kagombe.
These have been sued by two of the founding members of National Unity Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP) Difas Basile and Hassan Twala. The duo through their lawyers led by James Byamukama, allege that the respondents fraudulently made changes without following party constitution.
The changes include transferring the party name from NURP to NUP, changing leadership from Moses Nkonge Kibalama to Kyagulanyi and other said leaders. Other changes include party colors, logos, alteration of list of founder members and subscribers.
The applicants contend that in 2019, the Electoral Commission following an application by Kibalama changed the party name from NURP to NUP under general notice number 838 of 2019 which was later put in the National Gazette of August 12, 2019. They add that they were never consulted and did not pass the requisite resolution to change the party name in as far as the NURP constitution of 2004 is concerned.
It is also alleged that on July 4, 2020, Kibalama handed over the political leadership of NURP to the said leaders in a disguised extra ordinary delegates conference attended by 51 members who elected the respondents as the new party leaders.
They contend that the meeting was done during the COVID-19 lockdown and if indeed the meeting took place, it was illegal and should be declared null and void for being in breach of the party constitution.
The applicants also contend that in December 5, 2017, the respondents signed a resolution nominating Kyagulanyi as the party’s flag bearer for the 2021 general elections before the time for such nomination and without the party resolution.
The rest of the respondents are faulted for having illegally usurped the political leadership of the party on the basis of nonexistent and illegal extra ordinary delegates conference that was convened by Kibalama.
The Electoral Commission on the other hand is accused of having condoned the above illegalities which violate a number of laws governing political parties in the country. The applicants now want the High Court to issue an order restoring NURP party to its rightful members and declare the said changes illegal.
When URN contacted the acting spokesperson of Electoral Commission Paul Bukenya over the matter, he said he has nothing to say about the matter that is in court. He added that the Commission will leave the court process to proceed.
However, NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi did not pick nor return calls when reached for a comment. The matter is yet to be allocated to any Judge who will be fixing it for hearing.
This is not the first time Kyagulanyi’s activities are being challenged in court. In 2019, the former Ruhama County Parliamentary Aspirant Adens Ntare Rutaro sued him in the Constitutional Court seeking orders to quash the activities done under his “People Power” pressure group on grounds that’s it was doing activities of registered Political party organizations when it’s not.
