Lawyers representing President Museveni on Wednesday morning started responding to evidence and submissions of Amama Mbabazi’s lawyers in the presidential election petition.
In the morning session, the lawyers led by Didas Nkurunziza told court that there was no proof that their client gave out bribes in form of money and hoes to lure people vote for him at the expense of other presidential candidates.
Nkurunziza told court that the 18 million hoes given out to the people especially in West Nile were part of a continuous government program under the Office of the Prime Minister to issue hoes to women and youth groups throughout the country.
“It was a ministerial policy statement for the financial year 2013/14 by the Office of the Prime Minister presented to parliament for debate on revenue and expenditure,” said Nkurunziza. “Among the list of items to be procured and distributed in Northern Uganda were the hoes.”
The lawyer said that the hoes were distributed to the whole country, adding that Museveni intervened in the matter not as a presidential candidate but as the Head of State.
“It is important to know that the president remains one even if it is time of campaigns and he cannot abdicate his responsibilities while it is campaign.”
On the Shs 250, 000 alleged bribe given out to all villages throughout the country, the lawyers citing an affidavit of President Museveni said the money had been promised in August 2015, when campaigns had not kicked off and was meant to facilitate the work of the party programs throughout the country.
“The money was meant for party activities since no party can survive without financing its officials and activities. There is no evidence that the first respondent committed the said offences.”
On remarks made by Museveni following the election violence in Ntungamo district, the lawyers argued that the statements made were not in reference to Mbabazi or any other presidential candidate and their supporters but rather the perpetuators of the violence.
“He was incensed by the actions of some Ugandans beating their fellow Ugandans without any authority and said that if anybody takes laws in their hands, they would face the wrath of the law,” the lawyers argued.
Nkurunziza added, “He didn’t make any reference to the petitioner or his supporters but those who broke the law unless the petitioner wants to say he was part of the violence.”