Male Mabirizi leaves to Arusha for a court injunction against Uganda’s 2021 general elections.

By; Rachel Najjuma

16^th October 2019

Male Mabirizi has set off for the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in Arusha, Tanzania where he is seeking an injunction over the 2021 general elections.

Mabirizi’s application will be heard on October 29th and 30th by Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi, Justice Dr Faustin Ntezilyayo, the Deputy Principal Judge, Justice Audace Ngiye, Justice Dr Charles Nyawello and Justice Charles Nyachae at the East African Community Headquarters.

Mabirizi wants the East African Court of Justice to block the elections on grounds that its organization and conduct are being guided by a set of laws that have been challenged in same court.

According to Mabirizi, the elections should not proceed until the petition challenging the 2018 Constitutional Amendment Act is determined by the East African Court of Justice.

The Constitutional Amendment Act 2018 among others scrapped the lower and upper Presidential age caps which was earlier set between 35 and 75 years respectively.

The Act also opened the ground for the young people to contest for local government positions even when they haven’t clocked the age 35.

Mabirizi had previously launched a fundraising drive to raise legal costs for the case. He said that out of the 100million shillings he only managed to get 10 million shillings.

Speaking at the Supreme Court headquarters in Kololo this afternoon, Mabirizi says he will travel by bus since he failed to raise the required funds.

Mabirizi’s petition is supported by Article 30 of the East African Community Treaty that established the EACJ.

EACJ is a treaty-based judicial body of the community mandated to guarantee adherence to law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the East African Community Treaty of 1999.