[2009] UGCC 3

[2009] UGCC 3

The court found that the petitioners in the present case were not parties to the previous litigation in Uganda Law Society v Attorney General and Attorney General v Uganda Law Society, and that the acts or events complained of by the petitioners constitute a repetition of previous acts by the State. The court held...

Source-derived case information.

Citation
[2009] UGCC 3
Parties
Applicant: Dr. Kizza Besigye & 10 Others; Respondent: Attorney General
Court
Constitutional Court of Uganda
Jurisdiction
Uganda
Case Number
Constitutional Petition No. 7 of 2007
Procedural Posture
Constitutional Petition / Ruling on Preliminary Objection
Outcome
preliminary objection overruled
Legal Topics
Res Judicata, Public Interest Litigation, Military Justice, Fundamental Rights, Court Jurisdiction
Source Language
en
Constitutional Law Civil Procedure Res Judicata Public Interest Litigation Military Justice Fundamental Rights Court Jurisdiction

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Parties

Dr. Kizza Besigye & 10 Others

Applicant

Attorney General

Respondent

Procedural Posture

Constitutional Petition / Ruling on Preliminary Objection

  1. 1 Whether the doctrine of res judicata applies to bar the present petition based on prior decisions in Uganda Law Society v Attorney General and Attorney General v Uganda Law Society.
  2. 2 Whether the acts or events complained of by the petitioners are a repetition of previous acts already adjudicated upon.
  3. 3 Whether the petitioners, not being parties to the previous litigation, are bound by those decisions under explanation 6 of section 7 of the Civil Procedure Act.

Ratio Decidendi

The court found that the petitioners in the present case were not parties to the previous litigation in Uganda Law Society v Attorney General and Attorney General v Uganda Law Society, and that the acts or events complained of by the petitioners constitute a repetition of previous acts by the State. The court held that, although the respondent sought to invoke explanation 6 of section 7 of the Civil Procedure Act to bind the petitioners to the previous decisions, the doctrine of res judicata could not be applied because the present petition concerns new acts and the petitioners were not directly involved in the earlier cases. The court concluded that the matter must be heard on its merits...

Court Disposition

preliminary objection overruled

Orders

  • Preliminary objection is overruled.
  • Costs shall abide the results of the petition.