Amos Mandela, the former Buyamba County parliamentary candidate in Rakai District, has asked the High Court to allow him to withdraw his petition challenging the January 14 general election results and the victory of National Resistance Movement-NRM candidate Gyaviira Ssemwanga.
Mandela, who represented Buyamba County in the Eighth and Ninth Parliaments, filed the petition challenging the outcomes of the last general election and the subsequent declaration of Ssemwanga. In his petition, Mandela alleged that the election was marred by several irregularities that compromised its credibility, including voter bribery, intimidation and falsification of results, which he claimed were carried out in connivance with the Electoral Commission and Ssemwanga.
Despite filing affidavits on court record in support of his petition, Mandela has now made a U-turn and requested to abandon the petition. Sheem Ssengendo, Mandela’s lawyer, told the court during a scheduling conference before Justice Benard Namanya that they had reconsidered the petition and received instructions from their client to withdraw it.
Ssengendo said Mandela had expressly instructed him to withdraw the petition in the interest of harmony within the constituency and the National Resistance Movement party, to which he also subscribes as a member. The lawyer also told the court that Mandela is currently unwell and suffering from various health complications, which have made it difficult for him to physically attend the court proceedings. He indicated that, consequently, Mandela has decided to abandon the pursuit to challenge the election results.
In his ruling, Justice Namanya directed Mandela’s legal team to formally submit the withdrawal request in writing to enable the court to have a proper record before making a decision on the matter, slated for Thursday. However, Gyaviira Ssemwanga, the Buyamba County MP, argues he was not afraid of the petition against his victory, arguing he had prepared enough to defend himself before court.
He, on the other hand, welcomed the withdrawal of the petition, saying it is going to allow him time to concentrate and deliver on his pledges and legislative responsibilities. The withdrawal of the petition for Buyamba County now reduces the number of election petitions pending hearing in the Masaka High Court circuit to 20-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
