The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) tribunal has set October, 19 , 2023 as the date for determination of a case of infringement in which three people are fighting for ‘Omalako Jaja Tova Kumain’ ,the 2026 campaign slogan for President Museveni.
On Tuesday, when the matter came up, the three parties including Lwengo LCV chairman, Ibrahim Kitatta, Museveni senior advisor also head of the office of the NRM national chairman, Hadija Namyalo Uzeiye and social media commentator, Frank Gashumba stated the facts of the matter but also agreed on issues that require determination.
The three parties agreed that URSB will seek to determine who is the rightful author of the copyright and what remedies are available for the parties.
They were asked to file written submissions before the Registrar of Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), Ronald Lutunde delivers judgement on October, 19.
The fight
According to documents, Frank Gashumba on May, 16, 2023 filed an application before URSB seeking to copyright “ Omalako Jajja Tova ku Main Sigala Ku Ballot: Jajja we command you to stand again in 2026 and beyond , bazzukulu ba Museveni to register the slogan as his own art work that he claims he birthed in November 2022.
Gashumba is represented by Blaire Ntambi.
Meanwhile, Gashumba’s claims on the slogan were disputed by Hadija Namyalo Uzeiye through her lawyers of Sebuufu Usaama and Stanley Kangye from K&K Advocates saying she is the originator and creator of the words and the slogan.
“I officially commenced the use of “Omalako Jajja Tova Ku Main Sigala Ku Ballot: Jajja, We Command You to Stand Again in 2026 and Beyond: Bazzukulu Ba Museveni” in Uganda on 19th October 2022 when at my office in Kyambogo, I launched a bid by like-minded Ugandans to urge the National Chairman, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to stand in the 2026 elections, which date significantly precedes the purported date of birth of works as stated by the applicant in his application,” Namyalo said in her letter to URSB.
She argued that whereas Gashumba claims that the works were birthed on November, 5, 2022, she has evidence of use use and public exposure of this phrase through various media channels, including social media, print media, and public events on dates preceding this.
“The applicant’s attempt to copyright my work represents an infringement of my intellectual property rights that I created in the course of my work as the Head of the Office of the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM).”
Namyalo said she developed the phrase “Omalako Jajja Tova Ku Main Sigala Ku Ballot: Jajja, We Command You to Stand Again in 2026 and Beyond: Bazzukulu Ba Museveni” together with a group of NRM youth members based on “ our own creativity and ingenuity.”
She noted that the phrase exhibits a unique combination of words and expressions, reflecting their originality as the creators and our support for the re-election of the incumbent president.
“ As the originator, hold the exclusive rights to this creative work and oppose any attempts to claim copyright ownership over it by the applicant.
Meanwhile, Lwengo LC5 chairman, Ibrahim Kitatta through his lawyers led by Nakyonyi Doreen also challenged Gashumba’s claim to the copyright of the slogan.
Kitatta told URSB that he owns the copyright and authored the slogan ‘Omalako Jaja Tova Kumain’, adding that attempts by Gashumba to have the same copyrighted is an infringement.
The Lwengo LC5 chairman who is also the NRM Youth League Vice President also told URSB that Namyalo’s claim of the slogan is also an infringement.
Kitatta said he originated the slogan, launching it on October 17, 2022, at Zebra Hotel in Masaka City, two days prior to Namyalo’s use, adding that he applied for copyright protection on January 27, 2023 and that URSB issued a notice of application on February 13, 2023 which was later gazetted on February 24, 2023.
