Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa has encouraged politicians who win election petitions not to make life difficult for their opponents by charging costs that will make them uncomfortable in the society.
Tayebwa says that so long as Courts have decided the matter in someone’s favour, it is important to sit down with the loser and reconcile for the betterment of the people they all sought to lead.
He was speaking this morning during the Parliamentary prayer breakfast fellowship where Amuru District Woman Member of Parliament Lucy Akello preached about love. He said that settlements need to be reached so that the loser of the petition only pays the legal fees directly to the victor’s lawyers instead of demanding outrageous costs.
“When you win, tell you opponent that you don’t want money from him as a person but negotiate well so that he pays only the legal fees to your lawyers” he said.
The Deputy Speaker added that such can be the best way for a winner to move since he or she will be earning a salary for the position elected for.
Tayebwa who said he participated in the settling of the costs in the case of Jaffa Basajjabala and Paul Kahiji in Bushenyi over a decade ago, called for dialogue among the parties so that there is no enmity as a result of the Court decisions.
Politicians especially legislators have been putting heavy charges against their opponents who lose when the Courts decide on election petitions. Currently, the Court of Appeal has been delivering ruling in the Parliamentary Elections appeals by those who never accepted the decisions of the High Court after the 2021 elections.
“Am telling you colleagues, who are in court and won, you hear some saying I am going to condemn him to costs. But that one has become a money making venture to you as if you prayed hard for someone to go to Court, you win then you give them a bill of Shs1 billion” Tayebwa added.
While preaching, Akello gave a testimony of how she took up a young boy at the level of nursery and educated him until he won a government scholarship for University education, but has been heartbroken by his attitude of late.
Akello said that such are the difficulties that people who do good to others go through but argued her colleagues not to show love to others because they expect favours in return.
“Sometime you feel you have done so much and then you get the backlash. I know some of you have these similar experiences. What we have to offer is not necessarily for a return favour. May be what we are seeking from God is to earn a good reputation or favour. But this isn’t how Jesus loved at all” she said.
Akello said that Jesus loved others without expecting anything in return because he knew his love would not be reciprocated in any way.
She said that people need to forgive and be merciful because that is the same gift they personally receive from God whenever they are troubled.
State Minister for industry David Bahati who is the fellowship Chairperson asked the legislators in the congregation to love and preach for their opponents because contesting against each other was not aimed at making them enemies.
