EACJ to rule on Uganda case

By The Citizen Reporter, Arusha.

The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) will on February 13 deliver its ruling in a case where the East African Law Society (EALS) is accusing the Ugandan government of abusing human rights under the country’s constitution and the EAC Treaty by suppressing protests dubbed ‘Walk to Work’ in 2011.

The contentious matter in the case is the manner in which agents of the Ugandan government acted on various groups of the country’s citizens who decided to walk to work in protest against the high cost of fuel, transport and living.

The Attorney General of Uganda and the secretary general of the East African Community (EAC) are the respondents in the case filed by the regional bar association.

Before court here on Wednesday, the Attorney General of the Republic of Uganda represented by principal state attorney Phillip Mwaka, prayed to the court to dismiss the application with costs on grounds that the evidence which has already been produced before the court was insufficient and not enough to prove any grounds raised in the reference.

This was in response to EALS’ request to the First Instance Division of the EACJ to allow it to file additional video evidence recorded on the walk to work case.

The application was heard by Judges Justice Johnston Busingye, Principal Judge Justice John Mkwawa and Mr Justice Isaac Lenaola.

The EACJ is one of the organs of the EAC established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the establishment of the EAC.

Established in November 2001, the court’s major responsibility is to ensure adherence to the law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the EAC Treaty.

Source: The Citizen (17/01/2013): http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/news/49-general-elections-news/28220-eacj-to-rule-on-uganda-case