On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court judgment nullifying the election of Moses Attan as the Soroti City East Member of Parliament. The Court of Appeal Judges Cheborion Barishaki, Stephen Musota, and Christopher Gashirabake also ordered Electoral Commission to conduct by-elections for Soroti City East.
Hearing of the case in which opposition National Unity Platform - NUP candidate Betty Ssentamu, is challenging the victory of National Resistance Movement's Sylvia Nayebale for Gomba District Woman Member of Parliament will be fixed for hearing after Court of Appeal concludes its cases.
On Thursday, during the Mbarara City Council meeting, the councilors unanimously approved a motion to provide land measuring 1.5 acres located in Kakiika ward, Mbarara City North Division to the Judiciary.
The district leadership had earlier opposed the allocation claiming that the Judiciary did not follow the right procedure in requesting the land. The Judiciary had initially written to Mbarara city which had responded by allocating one acre of land.
The two legislators were arrested and detained on charges of murder, attempted murder and aiding and abetting terrorism, stemming from their alleged involvement in the recent killings in the Greater Masaka region which claimed more than 25 lives between July and September this year.
Jamiru Walugembe, the Chairperson of Kimayanya B cell in Kimanya-Kabonera division and one of the victims sued the Chief Defense of Forces-CDF, the Kasijjagirwa UPDF Armored Brigade Commander Brigadier General Deus Sande, and the Brigade Intelligence Officer Major Fred Kasimoni Mushabo, over torture he suffered in the hands of the military.
Jameson Karemani the Public Relations Officer of Judiciary says that the delay is due to the ongoing COVID 19 lockdown. He however noted that immediately after the lockdown is relaxed, the Judiciary will deploy a judge and start operations as other requirements are put in place.
In his ruling on the interim injunction on Thursday, Justice Wilson Masalu Musene said that since electoral activities are on-going, the nomination of candidates may continue provided that the Electoral Commission doesn't alter the boundaries.
Reports in Court indicate that the land in question has been earmarked for a government project, whose specifics are however still concealed. But the petitioners say that the land was taken away by Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among for the construction of a State Lodge and the installation of a military barracks.
It is alleged that the suspects allegedly murdered Fredrick Okurut, 40, a resident of Agu Village in Ngora Sub County, Ngora District on May 12th, 2020.
In 2013, parliament passed the anti-homosexuality act that the president signed into law on February 24th, 2014. However, the Constitutional court annulled the act on August 1st 2014 on grounds that Parliament faulted procedures in enacting it.
Paul Kangave the Greater Masaka Regional Police spokesperson says that majority of the lower local leaders in the area are failing to execute their mandates of managing simple conflicts through their local council courts.
The Deputy Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo says the project is part of the efforts to eliminate deliberate and administrative ineptitudes that frustrate the delivery of justice in courts of law.
Justice Owiny-Dollo who on Monday opened the Court of Appeal regional session at Masaka High Court premises, noted that the available manpower cannot handle the overwhelming numbers of appeal files in the system in a timely manner, thereby asking attorneys to always be mindful of the underlying operational challenges and avoid overstretching the judges.
Shifah Kateregga the HURIDEM Executive Director notes that the increase in cases of mob justice is a result of loss of public trust and confidence in the criminal justice systems and the bureaucratic process of the law.
