Court Declines to Stop Parliament from Legislating on Age Limit Bill

High court deputy Registrar Joy Kabagye on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of an interim application in which three politicians petitioned court seeking for an order stopping Parliament from engaging in amendment of Article 102 (b) until their main case before the same court is ruled on.

Parliament is set to hold its final debate any day, on the controversial Bill that seeks to repeal the Presidential age limits from the constitution.

Two of the applicants, Dr. Abed Bwanika of the People’s Development Party (PDP) and Asuman Basalirwa of JEEMA party were present in court with their lawyers Ladslaus Rwakafuuzi and Nalukoola Luyimbaazi. Court heard that the third applicant, Ken Lukyamuzi of the Conservative Party was absent on Wednesday because he was sitting exams.

Johnson Natuhwera from Attorney General’s chambers informed court that he was not ready to respond to the matter on Wednesday because he was allocated the file late in the afternoon.

The applicants’ counsels however challenged this arguing that the Attorney General did not require to consult on a matter to which he is party.

In response, Natuhwera pointed out that the matter involved Parliament and the Speaker and thus it was only fair that court grants a fair hearing by honoring a short adjournment.

The deputy registrar having considered submissions from both parties, she set Friday (tomorrow) as the date to hear this matter.

She however declined to stop Parliament from legislating on the same matter before Friday.

The three persons in the main application want court to compel the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to provide a USSD code on which they can easily and quickly collect electoral signatures.

They further seek court to compel the Electoral Commission to accept and consider the said signatures for purposes of holding a referendum on the contentious Age Limit Bill.