Kampala — The Judiciary has said it does not recognise the new Kyabazinga of Busoga Kingdom elected last Friday after officials defied a Constitutional Court order to halt the exercise.

"There is no Kyabazinga as far as the Judiciary and the law are concerned," Judiciary spokesperson Elias Kisawuzi said yesterday. The late Kyabazinga Henry Wako Muloki was succeeded by his son, Mr Edward Collumbus Wambuzi, in an election marred with sharp disputes.

His election came a day after the Constitutional Court, sitting in Kampala, issued a temporary injunction blocking the elections. The order followed a petition by two concerned Busoga subjects, arguing that the elections were likely to be soiled with irregularities.

In a statement, the Judiciary described the election as "a mockery of justice" and threatened to punish whoever had a hand in what has now been seen as open defiance to the temple of justice.

"What has happened (in Busoga) is a nullity. The courts can never sanction or be party to such illegality," Mr Kisawuzi clarified. He said no one can benefit from a flawed process and cautioned the public against disrespecting Judicial independence. "We are closely studying the matter with the view of commencing proceedings to the group of people who might have led to this mockery of justice," he added.

Before the Friday election, five of the 11 Busoga Chiefs issued a memorandum opposing it. Three of the five chiefs, who boycotted the election, had, however, expressed interest in being elected Kyabazinga.