EACJ forum underway in Kampala as EAC cases to commence in November

NAIROBI, Kenya - The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) Judicial Officers Conference is underway in Kampala-Uganda.

The EACJ conference comes at a time when the court is marking its 20th anniversary.

In November EACJ is expected to commence the hearing of appeals and deliver rulings on various cases filed against East African Community (EAC) member states.

In 2021 EACJ launched rotational November Court Sessions, with the first one held in Bujumbura between November 18 and 26 that same year.

Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni s the chief guest at the Second Annual East African Court of Justice Judicial Conference, taking place under the ‘Transforming Access to Justice in the East African Community,’

Christine Wekesa Mutimurwa, Deputy Registrar at the EACJ, pointed out that the conference is expected to hold high-level conversations on emerging legal and judicial issues including emerging jurisprudence and issues affecting courts and court users. It will also “provide a platform for information sharing among judges, judicial officers, legal practitioners, and other Court users in the region”.

She further opined that “The objective of rotating the court’s November sessions is to bring services closer to the people and enhance the visibility of the court as it undertakes its mandate of promoting access to justice by ensuring adherence to law in the interpretation and application and of compliance with the EAC Treaty.”

The EACJ appeal hearings will be conducted at the Commercial Court of Uganda premises for the entire month of November.

According to Ugandan Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs Rebecca Kadaga said there are 11 cases set for hearing and five that the Court of First Instance is expected to deliver judgment on.

The EACJ's main mandate is handling disputes arising from the violation of fundamental and operational principles that govern the community.

These principles include good governance, adherence to the principles of democracy, the rule of law, accountability, transparency, social justice, equal opportunities, and gender equality as well as recognition, promotion, and protection of human and people’s rights in accordance with the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ rights.

Tanzania’s human rights lawyer, Tito Magoti is among the 11 cases lined up for hearing is an application by jailed Ugandan lawyer Male Mabirizi.

Magoti was sentenced to 18 months in jail for contempt of court by High Court judge Musa Ssekaana for abusive attacks in letters and on social media. There are also cases involving Burundi and South Sudan.

GAROWE ONLINE