Ezrah Kashumbusha.
KAMPALA, January 06, 2024 | In a legal twist, the High Court has once again intervened, preventing the Uganda Law Society (ULS) from convening its scheduled Extraordinary General Meeting (EOGM), which was slated for the afternoon of February 6th, 2024.
High Court Judge Musa Sekana issued a temporary injunction against the ULS, citing serious concerns raised in the application filed by the society. The ruling restrains the ULS from calling, convening, or arranging the EOGM until the final determination of the main case.
In his ruling, Judge Sekana emphasized the court’s duty to protect citizens from wrongdoing or violations of their rights. He underscored the importance of maintaining the status quo when there are allegations of breaches of the law or the passing of illegal resolutions that could cause irreparable damage.
The application, brought forth by Brian Kirima against the ULS, argued that convening the EOGM would be illegal and outside the bounds of the law. The decision marks a significant development in a case that has stirred controversy within the legal community.
At the heart of the matter lies a petition filed by members of the ULS, alleging gross misconduct, incompetence, bias, irregularities, and illegalities against Justice Jesse Rugyema regarding the Tilega Project Affected Persons.
The petitioners point to a specific incident on the 8th of January 2023, where Justice Jesse Rugyema ruled on a land case involving 42 landowners contesting proposed compensation rates. The judge’s decision, delivered within four days without allowing the accused parties to respond, pertained to hindrances in the relocation of oil infrastructure for Total Energies’ Tilenga Project.
Justice Rugyema’s ruling directed the government, through the Ministry of Energy and the Attorney General, to deposit compensation funds with the court, effectively rendering 59,674 acres of land vacant for petroleum grounds under the Tilenga Project.
For now, the High Court’s decision to block the ULS’s EOGM adds another layer of intrigue to an already contentious legal saga, leaving both sides of the debate anxiously awaiting the next chapter in this unfolding story.
