KAMPALA – The former president of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Moses Nkonge Kibalama, has dragged the government to court, accusing it of forcing them to sign documents implicating Robert Kyagulanyi in the purported illegal takeover of the party.
In a petition filed on January 19, Kibalama together with Ssimbwa Paul Kagombe, formerly the party’s Secretary General, say security officials violated their rights after they abducted, detained and forced them to sign documents in relation to last year’s case where two members sued Kyagulanyi, claiming that he forcibly took over the party.
In the court case Basile Difas and Hassan Twala sued the leadership of the NUP, accusing them changing the name of the party illegally from the National Unity Reconciliation and Development Party before transferring its leadership to Kyagulanyi again illegally.
Through their lawyers Kwesigabo, Bamwine and Walubiri Advocates, Ssimbwa and Kibalama are seeking compensation and damages, saying Col Kaka Frank Bagyenda, the former Director of the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Jackson Kafuuzi, the Deputy Attorney General, and Mr. Rwangemani, the Director of Political Affairs at ISO coached them to testify against Bobi Wine.
Court has not yet set the date for the hearing of the case.
In October, Justice Musa Ssekaana dismissed the case filed by Difas and Twaha and ordered them to pay costs to Kyagulanyi and his co-respondents on grounds that they filed their case using a wrong procedure and out of time.
In August 2020, NURP founding members Difasi and Twaha petitioned the Civil Division of High Court suing Robert Kyagulanyi commonly known as Bobi Wine and other NUP top leaders.
The NUP top officials are Joel Ssenyonyi, Aisha Kabanda, Flavia Kasule Nabagabe, Fred Nyanzi Ssentamu and David Lewis Rubongoya. Others who were sued are NURP former leader Moses Nkonge Kibalama, the former Secretary-General Paul Simbwa, Electoral Commission and the Attorney General.
The applicants accused the group of conspiring to make fraudulent charges in their party without following the laid down procedures within their party constitution.
Specifically, the NURP founding members complained about the change of their party name from NURP to NUP, transfer of leadership from Kibalama to Kyagulanyi, change of party colours, logo as well as alteration of the founding members and subscribers.
They wanted Court to quash the changes in their party and declare that the resolution that resulted in the election of Kyagulanyi as the party presidential flag bear null and void.
However, the Judge explained that these members of NURP should have applied to Court to review the resolutions complained about within three months after the change of name from NURP to NUP but they sued a year after the changes had been made. According to Justice Ssekaana, the application was made with the view of making money during election season and Basile and Twaha had no genuine grievance but rather wanted to be relevant and make some quick cash.
