AG dragged to court over declaration of wealth

Jan 09, 2014

The chief executive of Hub for HIJ Edward Ronald Sekyewa has dragged the Attorney General to court seeking orders to establish a leadership code tribunal in which errant leaders who fail to declare their wealth would be prosecuted and punished.

By Hillary Nsambu               

The chief executive of Hub for Investigative Journalism (HIJ) Edward Ronald Sekyewa has dragged the Attorney General to court seeking orders to establish a leadership code tribunal in which errant leaders who fail to declare their wealth would be prosecuted and punished.         

Isaac Kimaze-Ssemakadde, who represented the petitioner, told the court that the more than 10 years’ delay or refusal by the directorate of ethics to formulate a declaration form which would enable the public access the declared information by the scheduled leaders about their wealth was unjustifiable.            

The applicant further asks the court to command the Attorney General to formulate and produce the necessary statutory forms for the easy access of the contents of wealth provided by the leaders under the Leadership Code Act 2002 within six months.            

He also seeks a declaration that the AG’s failure to enforce the leadership code of conduct under the law is an infringement of the fundamental principles of good governance as enshrined in the Constitution and the rule of law, promotion of transparency and accountability in public affairs and; also in the promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms plus checks and balances provided for in the Constitution.

However, State Attorney Genevive Kampiire apologized to court for not filing a reply to the application in time, saying that she was allocated the file when she was away.

She was only able to read the file upon her return three days ago.

She told the court that she also had to make consultations with the directorate of ethics and integrity and the inspectorate of government for proper instructions before she could file the reply.

Following the attorney’s submissions, presiding Justice Stephen Musota of the High Court given the Attorney General 14 days within which to reply to the application and he adjourned the hearing until March 31.

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