The process of hearing 81 Election Petition Appeals arising out of decisions from the High Court has kicked off.
The Court of Appeal Registrar, HW Susan Kanyange, said she is leading a team of the Court’s four Registrars who include HW Dr Alex Mushabe Karocho, HW Lillian Bucyana and HW Henry Twinomuhwezi to ensure that conferencing for the appeals are handled in a timely manner.
Conferencing is where lawyers of both parties agree on issues to be determined by court before the case file is forwarded to a panel of three justices for hearing.
HW Kanyange said the plan is to ensure that this process is concluded within 21 days before actual hearings take off. She noted that on top of the Election Petition Appeals cause-listed by the Court, there are also 29 Applications in which the Justices will handle.
Among the petitions to be handled on day one of the conferencing is an appeal filed by Julius Galisonga, challenging the decision of the High Court to dismiss his election petition against the incumbent MP Abdul Katuntu for allegedly orchestrating electoral irregularities, which affected the outcome of the Bugweri county parliamentary poll results.
The Conferencing schedule includes that of Bagala Joyce Ntwantwa against her opponent, Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Nabakooba Judith Nalule & another for failure of the lower court to strike out the petition which was supported by an affidavit that had been commissioned by an advocate whose practicing certificate had not renewed for the year 2021.
HW Kanyange said the Election Petition appeals were being prioritized since they take precedence in court business.
