The Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze has lashed out at the opposition for blackmailing the judiciary when make judgments which are not in their favour.
Tumwebaze made the remarks shortly after the Court of Appeal upheld the victory of National Unity Platform (NUP)’s Joyce Bagala as the duly elected Woman Member of Parliament for Mityana District.
Bagala won the January 14, 2021 polls with a margin of 16,000 votes to defeat incumbent Judith Nabakooba of the National Resistance Movement.
But Nabakooba filed a petition to challenge the outcome of the polls, alleging that Bagala was not validly elected to represent Mityana district in parliament.
She accused the Electoral Commission of failing to secure conditions necessary for the conduct of the election.
She stated that while registered voters were threatened, and her agents intimidated, EC presiding officers connived with Bagala and her agents to procure voting by unregistered persons, facilitate impersonation of voters, and multiple voting.
Bagala appealed against the court decision. She argued that the judge failed to evaluate the evidence on record and ended up with a wrong conclusion that there was non-compliance with the electoral laws and principles during the elections among other grounds.
On Friday, three Court of Appeal justices, Geoffrey Kiryabwiire, Stephen Musota and Christopher Gashirabake set aside the decision by the High Court in Mubende and reinstated Bagala as the duly elected Woman MP for Mityana district.
As such several opposition members and some from the ruling government congratulated Bagala for retaining her seat.
Tumwebaze said the opposition should reflect on the way they conduct themselves when the victory is not on their side.
“{I have} been off political commentary for some time but this itched me to drop a line or two about our opposition conduct. When the Judiciary delivers such a verdict in their favour {opposition} and the Electoral Commission gives a pro- Bobi wine group to do with their NUP battles, they celebrate,” he said.
But when decisions are to the contrary (not in their favor), Tumwebaze said the opposition literally blackmail those institutions.
“I find it unacceptable and an act of irresponsible politicking. Judiciary or Electoral Commission will not give u what u don’t have & neither can they take away what u have,” he stated.