Age Limit Appeal to be Heard in January 2019
The panel of Justices during the pre-trial at the Supreme Court in Kampala
The Supreme Court gave a timeline within which to dispose of the Constitutional Petition appeal in which lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi, a group of MPs and Uganda Law Society (ULS) unsuccessfully challenged the scrapping of the 75-year presidential upper limit.
This was one of the outcomes of the pre-hearing conference earlier today presided over by seven Hon. Justices of the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Bart M Katureebe.
The Chief Justice stated that the main hearing of the appeal will be on January 15 and 16, 2019. The parties also agreed upon eight issues for determination of the court.
As per the timeline agreed upon by the parties, the appellants are expected to submit written submissions within two weeks (by 28th November, 2018), to which the Attorney General will make written replies within three weeks.
Thereafter,the appellants will have one week (not later than 31st, December 2018) to make any rejoinders, if any.
"Go and make sound research and submit relevant authorities so that at the end of the day, people don’t accuse us of making a political Judgement," the CJ advised the parties.
Prior to that, he (CJ) had rejected a request by Mr. Mabirizi (who is representing himself)and Mr Erias Lukwgo to make oral submissions saying its time wasting.
Mr Erias Lukwago is representing MPs; Hon. Gerald Karuhanga, Hon. Jonathan Odur, Hon. Ssemujju Nganda and Hon. Winnie Kiiza.
However,one of the appellants, Mr. Male Mabirizi had rejected one of the justices on the panel; Hon. Justice Richard Buteera but the Chief Justice Katureebe addressed his fears saying he (Hon. Justice Buteera) was sitting on the panel for pre-trial purposes and that Hon. Justice Eldard Mwangusya who is currently out of the country would the one to sit on the quorum to hear the appeal.
Posted 19th, November 2018
