[2023] UGCC 6

[2023] UGCC 6

The court held that Section 25(1) of the Uganda Wildlife Act, 2019 is not unconstitutional as it mandates the Minister to consult the relevant local government council, which acts as an agent of the people, thereby ensuring public participation as required by the Constitution. The court found that the factual basis...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2023] UGCC 6
Parties
Applicant: Centre for Public Interest Law Limited; Respondent: Attorney General
Court
Constitutional Court of Uganda
Jurisdiction
Uganda
Case Number
Constitutional Petition No. 29 of 2019
Procedural Posture
Constitutional Petition / Final Judgment
Outcome
petition dismissed
Judges
Monica K. Mugenyi, JCC, Gashirabake, JCC, Madrama, JCC, Musoke, JCC, Egonda-Ntende, JCC
Legal Topics
Public Participation, Customary Land Rights, Compulsory Acquisition, Wildlife Conservation, Local Government Consultation
Source Language
en
Constitutional Law Land and Property Public Participation Customary Land Rights Compulsory Acquisition Wildlife Conservation Local Government Consultation

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Summary, issues, holding and outcome

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Parties

Centre for Public Interest Law Limited

Applicant

Attorney General

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Constitutional Petition / Final Judgment

  1. 1 Whether Section 25(1) of the Uganda Wildlife Act, 2019 is inconsistent with Objective II(i) of the National Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy and Articles 2(1)&(2), 8A and 176(2)(b) of the 1995 Constitution.
  2. 2 Whether the making of the Uganda Wildlife (Declaration of Wildlife Conservation Area) (East Madi Wildlife Reserve) Instrument, S.I No. 49/2011 is inconsistent with and contravenes Objective II(i) of the National Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy and Articles 2(1)&(2), 8A, 176(2)(b) and 237(1)&(3)(a) of the 1995 Constitution.
  3. 3 Whether the making of the Uganda Wildlife (Declaration of Wildlife Conservation Area) (East Madi Wildlife Reserve) Instrument, S.I No. 49/2011 amounts to irregular compulsory acquisition of historical and ancestral rights in customary lands of the Apaa community in contravention of Articles 2(1)&(2), 26(1)&(2) and 237(2)(a) of the 1995 Constitution.

Ratio Decidendi

The court held that Section 25(1) of the Uganda Wildlife Act, 2019 is not unconstitutional as it mandates the Minister to consult the relevant local government council, which acts as an agent of the people, thereby ensuring public participation as required by the Constitution. The court found that the factual basis of the petition—that the East Madi Wildlife Reserve was established on land belonging to the Apaa community in Amuru District—was not supported by evidence. A government survey established that the reserve is wholly within Adjumani District, not Amuru, and thus the Apaa community was not deprived of any interest in the land. The court concluded that the statutory instrument...

Court Disposition

petition dismissed