Besigye wants damages for breach of UBC contract

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | Former FDC party presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye has finally testified against the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) for refusing to run his 2011 presidential campaign adverts.

Besigye and his witness Dan Wandera Ogalo, an advocate of the High court, testified before Justice Magret Oguli-Oumo but were also cross-examined by UBC lawyer Kiryowa Kiwanuka.

In response, UBC also called its sales executive at the time Brian Pachuto who confirmed to court that Besigye’s adverts were not run, but the money was refunded to him.

Pachuto who issued the time orders to run the said adverts has told court that much as Besigye had provided content for his adverts , the UBC editorial team was not there to approve the said content.

However, even though Besigye acknowledges the pay back of his  sh21 million, he still wants UBC to be condemned for breach of contract and for unfairly treating other candidates by giving them little air-play.

Besigye claims the NRM candidate was given 90 percent of the air play on UBC and the rest of the six candidates had to share the remaining ten percent, something he thinks he was descriminatory of his political affiliation.

According to the suit , UBC is being sued jointly with it’s then former Managing Director Edward Musinguzi for allegedly receiving Dr. Besigye’s money from his media agent Big Ideas to run over 200 spot messages but the duo chose to breach their contractual obligations.

Justice Oguli said she will deliver her judgment on February 05, 2018.