Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two lawyers have petitioned the High Court Civil Division to quash an agreement between the government and Uganda Vinci Coffee Company Limited on grounds that it is illegal and irrational. Henry Byansi and Michael Aboneka are challenging the agreement signed by Ramathan Ggoobi, the Secretary …
Read More »Civil society sues gov’t for failure to regulate tuition fees
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Initiative for Social and Economic Rights-ISER, a civil society organization has sued the government for alleged failure to put in place a legal framework to regulate school dues and requirements. In their application before the High Court Civil Division in Kampala, ISER together with Michael …
Read More »Court okays suit challenging gov’t’s failure to translate constitution
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The High Court in Kampala has allowed counsel Michael Aboneka and Martins Kirya to continue pursuing their suit against the government for alleged failure to translate the 1995 Constitution into indigenous languages. Civil Division High Court Judge, Boniface Wamala made the ruling after rejecting the …
Read More »COMMENT: MPs should not double as ministers
Recent Constitutional Court ruling shows that although it has been a norm for a long time, it does not make it right COMMENT | MICHEAL ABONEKA | The Ugandan legal framework provides for a Member of Parliament to double as a Minister at the appointment of the President. There …
Read More »How to ensure free, fair election
The interventions police, the EC, and President Museveni must make to ensure democratic elections COMMENT | MICHAEL ABONEKA | It is barely two months to the general elections day of January 14, 2021, and we are still wondering whether we shall make it alive. In order to achieve free fair …
Read More »Gov’t , lawyers asked to mediate in case seeking translation of constitution
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The High Court has given the government two weeks to mediate in the case where two lawyers want the constitution translated into local languages. In 2019, the government was sued for its alleged failure to translate the 1995 Constitution into 56 indigenous languages. The lawsuit …
Read More »We need accountability for COVID funds
It’s time to test the transparency and accountability that this government boasts of and preaches as its principles COMMENT | MICHEAL ABONEKA | First, Parliament approved a supplementary budget of Shs284 billion to fight COVID-19. This was approved under Addendum 2, of the Supplementary Expenditure Schedule No. 2 for Financial …
Read More »No democracy without dissent
Arrest of Makerere University students protesting tuition increment makes a joke of our democracy COMMENT | MICHAEL ABONEKA | The right to dissent is by and large an extension of the freedom of conscience, expression, movement, religion, assembly and association enshrined under Article 29 of the Constitution of Uganda, 1995. …
Read More »Genuine electoral reforms needed
The Supreme Court in 2016 noted the need for electoral reforms and made a number of recommendations COMMENT | MICHAEL ABONEKA | Uganda will go to polls again in 2021 which is barely two years from now. The electioneering year will start next year (2020) as the Electoral Commission and some …
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