Musumba had filed the petition before the High Court in Jinja faulting both Kadaga and Electoral Commission for allegedly orchestrating irregularities, which affected the outcome of the January 2021 general election.
The Forum for Democratic Change-FDC Vice President for
eastern Uganda, Proscovia Salamu Musumba has withdrawn the election petition filed against Kamuli woman MP Rebecca Kadaga.
Musumba had filed the petition before the High Court in Jinja faulting both Kadaga and Electoral Commission for allegedly orchestrating irregularities, which affected the outcome of the January 2021 general
election.
Prior to Musumba’s application, Kadaga’s lawyer, John Mary
Mugisha had filed a miscellaneous application asking the same court to dismiss the
petition on grounds that the petitioner failed to adduce evidence in support of
her cause before court.
Musumba’s LawyerJohn Isabirye argued that their client who
was physically present in court had agreed to voluntarily withdraw the petition
and it was not prudent for the defense counsel to pursue their application to
dismiss the petition.
However, both the respondents’ and applicants lawyers later consented to the withdraw of the petition, prompting the presiding judge, Issa
Sserunkuma to recall the petition.
Sserunkuma further asked the petitioners’ lawyers to orally
submit their application to withdraw the petition and he tasked the applicants
to pay costs incurred by respondents’ throughout the petition.
Musumba told journalists after the court session that her
agents were tortured, a section of voters were bribed, among other
irregularities and she had a strong case before court but, resolved to withdraw
the petition as a means of fostering unity within Busoga sub region.
Musumba further stresses that to date, unknown individuals
were endlessly threatening her key witnesses in support of the petition, which
was making some of their lives uneasy. She argues that in the interest of
agitating for peace, since several individuals were grouping up themselves in
cliques to engage in endless fights, withdrawing the petition is a great step in
ensuring that warring parties concentrate more on developmental issues aimed
at improving their livelihoods rather than uncontrolled intrigue against each other.
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Meanwhile, Kadaga’s lawyer Caleb Alaka says that Musumba wasted the court’s time and it is just prudent that she pays costs worthy the
quality of lawyers who were hired to rebuttal the contents of the petition.
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Musumba is the second petitioner to withdraw an election petition from Jinja high court circuit after Jinja North constituency loser Mohammed Bidondole finalized the process of withdrawing the petition which he had filed against the area MP David Isabirye on Monday.
