Four expelled National Resistance Movement MPs have secured a temporary relief following a ruling by the Supreme Court that has blocked their eviction from the House pending the determination of the petition challenging the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga to retain their seats.
In the 6-1 majority ruling, Justice Bart Katureebe ordered for the temporary stay of the orders of the Constitutional Court barring the MPs from accessing and participating in Parliamentary activities until final judgment.
“We order by 6-1 that the orders of the Constitutional Court in the ruling of September 6, 2013 be stayed in interim,” held Justice Katureebe and others including Benjamin Odoki, Christine Kitumba, John Tsekooko and Galdino Okello.However, Dr Esther Kisaakye dissented to the ruling arguing that she would decline to grant the interim.
The judges set September 18 this year, for the hearing of the application seeking to overturn earlier orders issued by the Constitutional Court.
Last week, the Constitutional Court issued a temporary injunction against four MPs; Theodore Ssekikubo (Lwemiyaga), Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East), Mohammed Nsereko (Kampala Central) and Barnabas Tinkasiimire (Buyaga) to stop them from accessing Parliament.
According to court, the legislators who were expelled from ruling NRM party shall be denied from accessing the August House until the pending judgment of the main petition seeking their removal from Parliament is delivered. Justice Kavuma set October 15, for court to deliver its final judgment.
However, the MPs filed a notice of appeal and have since asked the country’s highest appellate court to stay the orders pending an intended appeal.
In the application filed on Friday, the MPs are also seeking to reverse the order and to block the Constitutional Court from making final judgment on the petitions in which NRM and two of its supporters, Lt. Saleh Kamba (Kibuku MP) and Cadre Marym Agasha are challenging the ruling by Ms Kadaga that the legislators retain their seats in Parliament.
