The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of the NRM Rebel Members of Parliament (MPs).
The four MPs had filed an appeal before the Supreme Court against the September 6, 2013 Constitutional Court ruling that ordered them out of Parliament.
Following a petition filed by Kibuku Constituency MP Saleh Kamba and others, five justices of that court ruled that the legislators’ stay in the House was unconstitutional since they were expelled from the party.
However, the four legislators vehemently opposed the petition, arguing that despite being NRM members, they were not representing it in Parliament because they are even elected by non-party members.
Now six out of the seven justices led by the Chief Justice Bart Katureebe have ruled that ruled in favor of the MPs.
Only justice Esther Kisakye objected the ruling but no reason has been given for her position.
The MPs were represented by Medard Lubega Sseggona and he explained that the court ruling is a victory for all Ugandans who believe in the independence of the legislature. In their ruling, the six justices have upheld that the Speaker of Parliament was right in maintaining the independence of the House by according a special place for the MPs to sit.
The court has also ruled that government covers three quarters of the costs of the suit at both the Supreme and Constitutional Courts.
The affected MPs are Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga), Muhammad Nsereko (Kampala Central), Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East) and Barnabas Tinkasimiire (Buyaga West).
They are accused of going against the party position on key issues and undermining the authority of the party leadership by refusing to appear before the disciplinary committee.
Story By Ruth Anderah
