Dr Stella Nyanzi case flops as judge, lawyers no show
Dr. Stella Nyanzi's suit against Makerere University failed to take off yesterday after lawyers and the presiding judge were a no show.
Appearing before the Deputy Registrar of the Civil Division of the High Court Sarah Langa, Nyanzi was informed her case would not go on.
When asked about her lawyer Isaac Ssemakade's whereabouts she pointed to his assistant who informed court that the lawyer was away in Jinja on other errands.
The Deputy registrar then informed them that the case is to be adjourned since the presiding judge in the matter Lydia Mugambe was not around too.
The case was adjourned to 6 March 2019.
The matter was coming up for Makerere University to respond to queries on why they failed to enforce implement orders of the Makerere University staff tribunal which declared the research Don's suspension illegal and that she be reinstated and compensated all salary arrears accordingly.
The tribunal had also advised that if there was any legitimate problem with Nyanzi she should instead be taken to the university disciplinary committee.
However, the university lawyers too weren't in court.
Dr Stella Nyanzi has been in Luzira prison since November 2019.
Nyanzi was arrested after posting a loutish birthday poem to President Yoweri Museveni on September 16, 2018, a day after President Museveni's 74th birthday. The poem which was posted on Stella Nyanzi's social media page was crafted in vulgarity targeted at the President's late mother Esteeri Kokundeka.
The prosecution alleges that on September 16, 2018, Nyanzi used a computer to post statements wishing that Museveni should have died at the time of his birth. Prosecution adds that Nyanzi, willfully and repeatedly used electronic communication to post similar messages which disturbed the peace, quiet or right of privacy of President Museveni.
Nyanzi pleaded not guilty to the Charges. However, she said that as a Poetess, she used the metaphor to portray her criticism against the ruling National Resistance Movement government. She adds that she found it ridiculous that the president would be offended by a poem that made reference to his mother.
She was arrested on Friday, November 2, 2019.
