Court sets date for hearing case against LCs term extension
Voters line up to elect an LC1 chairperson of a village in Kampala in 2018. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Office of the attorney general says the matter will be handled after studying the contents on its file.
High Court in Mbarara City has fixed a date for hearing an application filed by lawyer James Owebeyi challenging the attorney general over the recent extension of term of office of LC1 and LCII leaders.
On July 2, government issued a notice in the Uganda Gazette extending the term by 180 days from July 4, 2024.
But Mbarara based lawyer Owebeyi July 9 sought a court order prohibiting attorney general (respondent) from using “the illegal and expired LC1 and LCII leaders from performing the functions of such offices.”
He also seeks an order directing the respondents to conduct elections of LCs as well as court to award him costs relating to the suit.
“Take notice that the court will be moved on October 14, 2024 or soon thereafter as the applicant can be heard for orders for judicial review reliefs to wit, a declaration that the action of the local government minister (Raphael Magyezi) to extend the term of LCs is illegal and unjustifiable in accordance to laws of Uganda,” a notice of motion signed by the Mbarara High Court Deputy Registrar Ms Zulaika Nanteza reads in part.
The attorney general team lead at the Mbarara regional office, Betty Karungi Gafabusa, has acknowledged receiving the copy of the notice of motion.
“We shall write to the office that caused us to be sued and ask for more instructions, additional information and witnesses. After getting this response, we shall see how to handle the matter,” Karungi told Monitor.
