Supreme Court rules in favour of expelled MPs

L-R MPs Bernabas Tinkasimire, Muhammad Nsereko, Wilfred Niwagaba, and Theodore Ssekikubo at the Supreme Court in Kololo on Thursday, October 10 after the court ruled they stay in Parliament as they await a ruling by the same court on an appeal. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa. 

By Ephraim Kasozi

The Supreme Court Thursday stayed the execution of an order barring four Members of
Parliament, who were expelled from the NRM party, from Parliament until the final determination of the petition challenging the ruling of Speaker Rebecca Kadaga that the legislators cannot vacate the August House.

The ruling stays orders of the Constitutional Court to bar MPs from Parliament until their intended appeal in the Supreme Court is heard and determined.

In a six to one majority ruling read by Justice Galdino Okello, the Judges said in their ruling that they were satisfied with the MPs’ intended appeal because its contents meet the requirements.

Justice Esther Kisakye disagreed with the ruling.

The MPs petitioned the country’s highest court following the September 6 ruling in which majority of the justices issued an interim order directing the Speaker of Parliament through the Attorney General (AG) to block the MPs from accessing and participating in parliamentary business until delivery of final judgement.

MPs Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga), Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East), Mohammed Nsereko (Kampala Central) and Barnabas Tinkasiimire (Buyaga) are also seeking orders staying proceedings and blocking the Constitutional Court from making further orders against them.

The MPs also appealed the decision of the Constitutional Court that refused to grant the admissibility of President Yoweri Museveni’s affidavit as evidence.

The ruling means that the MPs will access Parliament until the case is determined by October 15 this year when it would rule whether they should vacate their seats in Parliament.