| KAMPALA
THE Uganda People?s Congress leadership at Uganda House yesterday laughed off the civil suit that Dr James Rwanyarare filed against the Party President Dr Milton Obote, describing it as a ?nuisance?.
Rwanyarare, the former Chairman of the UPC Presidential Policy Commission (PPC) is challenging the decision by Obote to replace his leadership and the PPC by the Constitutional Steering Commission (CSC) under Hajji Badru Wegulo.
But Mr Peter Walubiri, who was appointed UPC Secretary General under the CSC, told journalists in Kampala yesterday that Rwanyarare?s attempt to challenge Obote would leave him (Rwanyarare) politically ruined.
?Some of you journalists who are familiar with the UPC affairs know that it?s not easy to challenge the UPC president. This is not the first time people have gone to court,? he said.
?Rwanyarare has put himself on the last course of political destruction; it is regrettable because we have worked with him when he was he
re. If I
were him, I would salvage myself by quickly withdrawing the suit,? Walubiri told a press conference at Uganda House yesterday.
Wegulo and his deputy Mr John Livingstone Okello Okello attended the conference.
Walubiri accused Rwanyarare of behaving in a diversionary manner, likening him to President Yoweri Museveni.
?Rwanyarare has made it clear that he wants to run for the party presidency. If you want to run for the party presidency, you don?t do it by suing the party president and your colleagues. You go to the people who elect the party president and campaign,? Walubiri said.
Walubiri, who answered almost all the journalists? questions directed to Wegulo, had earlier dismissed Rwanyarare?s suit as lacking in substance. ?I have been a member of the bench for the last 17 years but having looked at Rwanyarare?s papers in court, they are at best a nuisance and are a waste of the valuable time of court,? he said.
?Court should be handling more s
erious
matters than disputes of a politician who doesn?t want to do politics. Politics is done in the field not in court,? Walubiri said.
But Rwanyarare yesterday wondered why Walubiri could discuss merits of the case before a press conference.
?He is a lawyer and a defendant. He should take his defence to court. I wont discuss the merits of the case. This will be in court,? he said.
Rwanyarare, through his lawyers Byenkya, Kihika & Co. Advocates, has asked court to declare the CSC null and void saying the new organ created by Obote is inconsistent with the UPC constitution, the Political Parties and Organisations Act (PPOA) and the Constitution. The CSC members yesterday angrily reacted to Rwanyarare?s action and threatened to punish him.
Rwanyarare had been the de facto UPC leader in Kampala for almost 17 years.
He fell out with Obote in March when the latter replaced him with Wegulo. He and other party officials have unsuccessfully tried to seek an
explanation from the party leader who has been exiled in Zambia since 1985.
Obote has kept silent over the issue that seems to be moving to create a big rift among party officials in Kampala.
Daily Monitor could not reach Obote for a comment.
?The PP [party president] should be asked about important national issues like the referendum and donors. If Rwanyarare is making allegations, then he is the right person to answer such questions,? Obote?s son, Jimmy Akena told Daily Monitor last month. | 
