EACJ has dismisses EALA polls case

The East African Court of Justice has dismissed a reference lodged by the shadow attorney general, Mr Abdu Katuntu, over the East African Legislative Assembly (Eala) elections.

Mr Katuntu was seeking the court’s interpretation on the rules of procedure of Ugandan Parliament that defines how membership to Eala is constituted in accordance with the East African Treaty.

The MP wanted to resolve the controversy that rocked the last polls with the NRM demanding six slots out of nine due to its numerical strength in Parliament.

The remaining slots were to be shared among the rest of the political parties in the House and interest groups, a move FDC protested.

In its ruling, the EA court held that the rules adopted for the elections by Ugandan Parliament, conformed with Article 50 (1) of the Treaty.

The court presided over by justices Jean Bosco Butasi and Stella Arach Amoko among others further said the meaning and import of Article 50 (1) does not require that all six political parties in the House be represented.

Article 50 (1) states that the National Assembly of each Partner State shall elect, not from among its members, nine members of the Assembly, who shall represent..., the various political parties represented in the National Assembly, shades of opinion, gender and other special interest groups.

Mr Katuntu had sued the Secretary General of the East African Community and the Ugandan Parliament.

Speaking to the Daily Monitor yesterday, Mr Katuntu expressed disappointment by the ruling on grounds that it did not address his grievances he had put to it and that justice had not been served to him as the petitioner.

He said the court did not clearly address itself on inter-state representation and interest groups.

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