The Judiciary has condemned the “uncivilised” and “disrespectful” actions on Wednesday by supporters of the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga who rallied outside the High Court protesting the case in which Kadaga was a litigant.
A group of people donned in yellow shirts stormed the High Court’s Civil Division in Kampala holding placards demanding for court to dismiss the case.
They were challenging the suit filed against the Speaker by six Members of Parliament whom she in December suspended during the Age Limit Bill debate.
The protesters said that the Speaker had done nothing wrong since she followed the legal procedure while she presided over the contentious debate.
In a statement released on Thursday, the Judiciary criticized the “unwarranted” actions which it says are an “affront on the independence of the Judiciary”.
“Under Article 128 of the Constitution, no person or authority shall interfere with the courts or judicial officers in the exercise of their judicial functions. It strikes at the core of what the Constitution is all about – re-establishing the rule of law in this country,” said Judiciary’s Chief Registrar, Gadenya Paul Wolimbwa in the statement.
He said that the Judiciary is an arm of the state with the mandate to adjudicate cases between different parties and it should be left to do its work.
“Let the institutions work. It’s really wrong for people to go and mobilise mobs to come and frighten us to prevent us from doing our work. Whoever is promoting them is really doing a disservice to the country,” said Gadenya.
“We find it callous for litigants to organise crowds to try and undermine judicial independence. If we want to be governed by the rule of law, then we must allow institutions to operate and that is why the Constitution provides for the courts,” the statement added.
This is not the first time courts of law in Uganda have been arenas of such protests.
In August 2016, an angry mob protesting the trial of the Inspector General of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura over accusations of torture against civilians, laid a siege on Makindye Magistrate’s Court, threatening the lawyers and other court users, among other protests at court premises.