Last week reports of a ‘secret meeting’ between President Yoweri Museveni and Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo emerged. The reports alleged that the duo met to discuss the presidential election petition filed by Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine
In a statement by the judiciary, the arm of government has said that the recent meeting between Museveni and Owiny was not secretive at all as it was an official ceremony at State House Entebbe that was attended by all the top leadership in judiciary to witness the swearing in ceremony of a newly-appointed judge of the High Court, Justice Margaret Apiny.
“It is a requirement of the law in Schedule to the Oath Act for such a judicial Oath to be taken before the president or any other person authorised by the president,” read the statement in part.
The Judiciary’s spokesman, Mr Jameson Karemani said that Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo used the swearing in occasion to present the Judiciary’s Budget estimates for 2021/22 Financial Year to the President as required by the Administration of Judiciary Act, 2020.
The Judiciary’s statement comes barely a week after Bobi Wine asked three judges to disqualify themselves from hearing his election petition against Museveni, citing conflict of interest. These included; Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo, Justice Mike Chibita and Justice Ezekiel Kurabiraho Muhanguzi.