The High Court has ordered the Red Pepper newspaper to pay Shs430million to retired Chief Justice, Samuel William Wako Wambuzi.

This is after the publications lost a case in which he had sought general and exemplary damages for libel, and for a permanent injunction and costs of the suit.

In a ruling delivered by Justice Patricia Basaza Wasswa, she ordered: “the Defendant (Red Pepper) shall pay to the Plaintiff (Justice Wambuzi) general damages for libel in the sum of UGX.375M/=”, reads the ruling. She further orders that Red Pepper pay extra Shs50million as exemplary damages.

“The Defendants shall pay interest on the sums awarded to the Plaintiff under (1) and (2) above at the rate of 6% per annum from the date of this judgment to the date that payment is made in full.”

A permanent injunction restraining Red Pepper or their agents from further publishing similar defamatory statements was also granted. Justice Wambuzi was also awarded costs of the suit.

Wambuzi took Red Pepper to court in 2015 over its story titled ‘Exposed! 100 most indebted personalities revealed’.

Wambuzi was one of the 100 personalities/tycoons who the publication alleged was struggling to pay off a business loan of Shs10bn that he obtained from a financial institution to pump into his GreenHill Academy, a posh city school.

According to Wambuzi, the wordings in the story meant that in common with the 100 other people that the newspaper was to serialize, he is extravagant as he lives beyond his means and finances, and depends on borrowing from financial institutions.

In his application Wambuzi stated that he had had a 40-year distinguished career in the judiciary and also served as Chief Justice on three occasions before retiring honourably.

He was represented by lawyers of Masembe, Makubuya, Adriko, Karugaba & Ssekatawa Advocates (MMAKS Advocates).

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Whereas Robert Sentamu Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine has recently been very critical against the government, few expected him to join mainstream politics; the ‘Ghetto president’ is eyeing the Kyadondo East seat which was declared vacant last week.

Speaking to the press, Bobi Wine says the zeal to help other people has influenced him to join politics “because the previous MPs have been a huge disappointment.”

“When I had just come to Magere, Sitenda Ssebalu convinced us to send him to Parliament, promising to bring about a change in the livelihoods of the people of Kyadondo East. We believed him and sent him to parliament but on getting there, he appear to have worked for only his family and not the electorates that sent him,” he said  Wednesday while appearing on Delta TV.

Bobi Wine added: “When the term ended, we threw him out and replaced him with another person (Apollo Kantinti) who had successfully convinced us that he was different from the previous MP. Shockingly, after swearing in as MPs, we heard that our MPs had asked for salary increment. Before we could get over this, our MPs were asking for Shs200 million to buy themselves cars. Then came the demand for more allowances. Against all this, I can’t trust anyone else. I’ve come to realise we have eaters and not leaders. Their mouths are for eating only and not speaking for people they represent.”

Asked as whether it’s not the hefty benefits of MPs that has attracted him to join the race for parliament, Bobi Wine said: “I am not a politician. I am a leader. I want to see a change in my area and country otherwise I can make an MP’s earning in just one music show”.

According to the self-styled ‘Omubanda Wa Kabaka’ he has been a resident of Magere, Wakiso District for 15 years, and has done a lot to change the place.

“In this period, I personally took electricity to Magere as I connected power to my home. I feel saddened whenever I look at the livelihood of the people in my neighbourhood,” Bobi Wine said, adding that he and his wife Barbie Kyagulanyi have a big passion of bringing change to other people’s lives.

Barbie Kyagulanyi runs a charity organization, Caring Hearts, an NGO that has been giving free medicare to women and kids especially the disabled.
Early this year, the couple gave out free Medicare and over 500 mattresses and blankets to people on the Island of Sowe Island among other areas.

The couple was awarded in the previous years by Rotary International for their big hearts for the needy.

Many an MP, especially those formerly from the entertainment industry, are on verge of exiting Parliament over lack of the required academic documents. MPs like Peter Ssematimba, formerly a break dancer and radio presenter together with comedian Kato Lubwama, have been in and out of court over their academic documents.

But speaking about his education, Bobi Wine said he completed his secondary studies at Kitante Hill School for Ordinary Level and Advanced Level in 1998 at Kololo Secondary School after which he joined Makerere University.

“Glad all the schools I attended are still in existence. At least none was razed down by an investor…..you can go to these schools and confirm for yourself. Surprising to many, I always came first in my class through my life at School.”

He also used the opportunity to speak out on his political background, revealing that on joining Makerere, the first course he undertook had something to do with politics.
“I first undertook Social Sciences and Political Science but I later changed to Music, Dance and Drama because I couldn’t afford the first course,” Bobi Wine said.
In Kenya, singer Jaguar is among the candidates contesting for seats in Parliament while in Tanzania, rapper Prof Jay is already an MP.

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