A total of seven different civil society organizations have filed a request to the Supreme Court of Uganda to join as “friends of court” in the election petition filed last week by presidential candidate John Patrick Amama Mbabazi.
These are: Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, The Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA Uganda) Chapter Four Uganda, Human Rights Network Uganda, Center for Constitutional Governance, Kituo Cha Katiba, Legal Aid Service Providers Network Uganda, and Transparency International.
The NGOs revealed that they had interest in the petition “because it raises important questions of public interest; whether the general elections were conducted in a manner representative of the will of the people”
FIDA Uganda’s Irene Ovunji told press at the Supreme Court that their joining in the case would enhance participation of the people of Uganda, otherwise not represented in the case.
As friends of court, the NGOs are expected not to take any side in the case but furnish court with important expert information to help in better determination of the matter.
Some of the organizations however, directly contested the outcome of the February presidential elections, citing numerous irregularities.
These were members of the civil society coalition that was accredited as election observers under the Citizen Election Observers Network (CEON)
The NGOs say that they tracked and compiled reports of pre-election, polling day and post election period and therefore possess credible and valuable information about the election “that will enrich the court’s consideration of the petition.”