Nameere drops five defence witnesses in election petition

What the report says

State minister for Local Government and Masaka City Woman MP Justine Nameere has asked the High Court in Masaka to withdraw five of the seven witnesses she had planned to call in her defence in an election petition. The case stems from a challenge by National Unity Platform candidate Rose Nalubowa to Nameere’s declared victory in the January 15 election.

According to The Observer, Nameere’s lawyers told Justice Bernard Namanya that only two defence witnesses would remain: Nameere herself and Enoch Kugoonza, the Electoral Commission’s principal legal officer. The five withdrawn witnesses were said to have been intended to support her account of the polling and the vote recount that led to her being declared winner. The report says the recount, ordered by Masaka chief magistrate Albert Asiimwe, reversed the Electoral Commission’s earlier declaration of Nalubowa as winner.

The article says the Electoral Commission first announced Nalubowa had won with 25,443 votes to Nameere’s 20,324, but the recount later gave Nalubowa 23,176 votes and Nameere 25,502. Nalubowa is contesting the legality of the recount and the later declaration. During the hearing, Nameere testified and was cross-examined, while her legal team later said the remaining witnesses were no longer necessary.

The observer also reported that Kugoonza defended the commission’s compliance with the court order, saying it had opposed the recount application but had to follow the magistrate’s directive. Justice Namanya directed both sides to file closing submissions by October 12 before further directions on judgment.