Katureebe launches book on courts and politics

PIC: Left-right: The principal Judge Yorokamu Bamweine, Prof. Oloka Onyango and the Chief Justice, Bart Katurebe, during the launch of a book at Pearl of Africa Hotel. (Credit: Francis Emorut)

BOOK LAUNCH

KAMPALA - Chief Justice Bart Katureebe has launched a book titled, When Courts Do Politics at Pearl of Africa Hotel in Kampala.

The book authored by Prof. Joe Oloka Onyango examines the process of adjudicating disputes over presidential election petitions, gender inequalities and social and economic rights.

Oloka observed that although not traditionally regarded as public interest litigation, his book argues presidential elections are crucial to the welfare and interest of the public, given the manner in which they have affected governance and social transformation.

In other words, court action on presidential elections — although invariably instituted by the losing party — should be taken as a sui generis specie of public interest litigation.

Oloka notes that courts have traditionally been insulated from making decisions over these most controversial political acts.

Katureebe lauded Oloka as being one of the constitutional experts Uganda has and that he should be listened to more on constitutional matters.

The book launch was organised by the Judiciary in partnership with Ford Foundation and International Governance Alliance (iGA).

Dr Busingye Kabumba, a Makerere University don, told the audience, which included the judges, judicial officers, academicians and ambassadors that the book demonstrates that judges cannot do law without politics since they are appointed by the President, who is a politician.

"We cannot break away that link between judges and politics. To say that courts are separate from politics is an illusion," Kabumba said.

The Ford vice-president, Martin Abregu, implored the judicial officers to critically examine public interest litigation, saying more research needs to be done to take court to a high level.