Last month, Justice Margaret Oguli-Oumo ruled that Besigye was not accorded the air time he had paid for on UBC platforms yet they had received UGX21 million from him for the same during the 2011 presidential race and he was, therefore, entitled to damages.
Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) has filed a notice of appeal challenging order for payment of UGX80 million awarded to former Forum for Democratic Change presidential candidate Kiiza Besigye.
The Civil Division of the High Court, in suit number 113 of 2012, last month, awarded damages to Dr Besigye, who sued the national broadcaster for failure to broadcast his campaign programmes in 2011.
Last month, Justice Margaret Oguli-Oumo ruled that Besigye was not accorded the air time he had paid for on UBC platforms yet they had received UGX21 million from him for the same during the 2011 presidential race and he was, therefore, entitled to damages.
She also ordered the state broadcaster to pay the costs of Besigye’s suit. The judge also directed UBC in future to strictly observe the rights of all presidential candidates when it comes to coverage.
However, UBC through its lawyer Kiryowa Kiwanuka has filed a notice of appeal notifying the Court of Appeal of its intentions to challenge the said award, an order to pay Besigye a 30% interest per annum until full payment on the said money and costs of the suit.
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The UGX80 million award stem from a suit that Besigye filed against UBC and its former managing director Edward Musinguzi in 2012 accusing them of failing their contractual obligations when they refused to run his spot messages a head of the 2011 general polls.
Even though UBC later refunded the UGX21 million to Dr Besigye, Justice Oguli ruled that his equal rights to enjoy media as a presidential candidate were violated and hence forth she directed UBC to strictly observe the rights of all presidential candidates in future when it comes to media coverage.
He had filed the case against UBC and its former managing director Edward Musinguzi Mugasa.
He wanted to recover over UGX21m for at least 200 airtime spots, which he said was paid to UBC through his agent, Big Ideas.
Besigye claimed UBC television and radio stations have a nationwide coverage in Uganda and as a result of which his campaign message was expected to receive nationwide coverage.
The radio stations include UBC Radio, Mega FM and Star FM.
The national broadcaster’s lawyers are yet to file a Record of Appeal