Founders of the National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP), the party that People Power leader Bobi Wine bought and renamed the National Unity Party (NUP), have petitioned the Electoral Commission saying their party was irregularly bought.
Through their lawyer James Byamukama, the founders of NURP argue that Bobi Wine’s acquisition of NUP was in contravention of the Political Parties and Organisations Act (2005), the law that governs the operationalization of political parties in the country.
In their petition to Justice Simon Byabakama, the EC Chairman, NURP founders questioned the manner in which the party name was changed from National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP) to The National Unity Platform (NUP).
“The resolution amending the party name from National Unity, Reconciliation and Development Party (NURP), as per its certificate of registration issued on 28/02/2004 to The National Unity Platform (NUP) published under General Notice No 838 of 2019 in the Uganda Gazette dated 12/8/2019 and certificate of registration issued on 28/8/2019 without complying with the party constitution,” read their petition.
The petition further states that: “The resolution dated 5/1/2017 illegally nominating someone described in the resolution as the Ghetto President H.E Bobi Wine Kyadondo East MP Hon Kyagulanyi Robert as the party’s Presidential flag bearer in the 2021 Presidential elections, many years before the due time for such nominations and without following the party constitution and national election laws.”
In their petition, NURP’s founders told the EC Chairman that if the electoral body fails or omit to exercise its statutory mandate in the matter, they will have no option but to join the Electoral Commission to legal proceedings intended to restore control of NURP party to its rightful founders and members.
OTHER GROUNDS IN THE PETITION.
The extra ordinary Delegates Conference allegedly held on 14/7/2020 and attended by only 51 unverified members out of a Delegates Membership list of 400 delegates, which rubber stamped Hon Kyagulanyi as the new party president and his associates as party office bearers unopposed without conducting a proper election in violation of the party constitution and provisions in the national constitution.
Under Section 21 of the Political Parties and Organisations Act 2005, the Electoral Commission is under a statutory duty to address and rectify the aforesaid illegalities, hence this complaint.
