Kakooza Seeks Dismissal of Election Petition Over Alleged Late Service

James Kakooza, the incumbent Member of Parliament for Older Persons in the Central Region, is contesting an election petition that seeks to nullify his victory. Kakooza’s legal team, led by lawyer Apolo Katumba, has lodged a preliminary objection with the High Court in Wakiso, arguing that the petition should be thrown out.

The core of Kakooza’s argument hinges on the timing of the petition’s service. His lawyer contended before Justice George Okello that the legal requirement for serving election petitions mandates that the respondent must receive the documents within a strict seven-day period. According to the defense, this statutory deadline was not met in this particular case.

Consequently, Kakooza’s legal team asserts that the court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the petition. They maintain that because the service of the petition occurred outside the stipulated timeframe, any subsequent proceedings would be invalid. The court is now tasked with considering this preliminary objection before delving into the substantive merits of the election dispute.

The case highlights the critical importance of procedural adherence in electoral litigation, where strict timelines are often enforced to ensure the timely resolution of election challenges.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)