East African Court of Justice - 2016

24 judgments
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Results. 24 judgments found.

24 judgments
December 2016
2 December 2016
The Court granted leave to amend pleadings, finding no prejudice in doing so and emphasizing discretion must be exercised judiciously.
  • Civil procedure — amendment of pleadings — judicial discretion — amendment allowed unless prejudice is shown — delay alone not fatal.
1 December 2016
November 2016
25 November 2016
September 2016
EACJ dismissed claims regarding Burundi’s presidential term extension, finding no jurisdiction to review national court decisions and striking out improperly joined parties.
  • Regional integration — East African Community Treaty — rule of law — jurisdiction of EACJ — time limits for references — domestic law vs Treaty compliance — legal standing of national institutions — judicial independence — appellate jurisdiction over national courts — public interest litigation.
29 September 2016
A Reference alleging Treaty violations arising from a series of events was not time-barred, and disclosed a cause of action.
  • East African Community law — preliminary objections — limitation of time under Article 30(2) — cause of action under Articles 6(d), 7(2), and 27(1) — wrongful arrest and detention — whether Reference was time-barred — effect of multiple and continuing breaches — procedural fairness.
28 September 2016
A challenge to sections of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act was dismissed as moot after the Act was declared void.
  • Treaty interpretation — locus standi — justiciability — mootness doctrine — human rights — separation of powers — challenge to nullified legislation — public interest exception
27 September 2016
June 2016
A request for extension of time was denied due to failure to provide sufficient evidentiary justification for the delay.
  • Civil Procedure — Extension of time — Application for extension under Rule 4 EACJ Rules — Sufficient reason — Duty to provide evidentiary support for cause of delay — Failure by counsel — Whether delay by counsel excuses applicant absent substantiating evidence.
30 June 2016
A party cannot amend pleadings after closure without leave of court; unauthorized amendments will be struck out as procedural abuse.
  • Civil procedure — amendment of pleadings — necessity for leave of court after close of pleadings — inherent powers of court not exercisable in conflict with express rules — striking out pleadings as abuse of court process.
29 June 2016
Court clarifies criteria for joining NGOs as amici curiae in proceedings on criminal defamation and freedom of expression.
  • East African Court of Justice — Amicus curiae — admission of NGOs as amici curiae — criteria for leave — neutrality and expertise — public interest legal questions — criminal defamation and freedom of expression.
28 June 2016
Court declined to compel production of privileged Assembly documents or issue witness summons where Assembly lawfully refused leave.
  • East African Community law — Powers and Privileges — production of privileged Assembly documents — witness summons — Section 20 of EALA (Powers and Privileges) Act — Rule 56 of Court Rules — separation of powers — court cannot override Assembly decision on privilege without Treaty violation.
24 June 2016
May 2016
27 May 2016
Attorney General not entitled to instruction fees when representing government entities as salaried public officers.
  • Costs — Bill of costs — Government legal representation — Instruction fees — Whether salaried public officers are entitled to instruction fees — Taxation of costs in suits involving government parties.
26 May 2016
Instruction fees are not recoverable where government entities are represented by salaried state counsel performing their official duties.
  • Costs — Public officers — Attorney General — Whether instruction fees are payable to government legal representatives — Disbursements — Bill of costs — Taxation — State counsel acting as salaried public officers — Recovery of instruction fees — Precedent — Reasonably incurred costs — Disallowance of instruction fees.
26 May 2016
Implied advocate-client relationship sufficed for bill of costs taxation where no express retainer or remuneration agreement existed.
  • Advocate-client relationship — Taxation of costs — Implied retainer — Consultancy agreement distinguished from legal representation — Bill of costs — Rule 113(2) EACJ Rules — Written vs. implied instructions — Costs awarded for defending taxation application.
26 May 2016
A review application was dismissed after the applicant failed to show any error on the face of the record in a time-barred employment dispute.
  • East African Court of Justice — Review of judgment — Review jurisdiction — Grounds for review — Error on the face of the record — Time-barred claims — Finality of litigation — Distinction between review and appeal — Employment dispute — Treaty interpretation.
25 May 2016
March 2016
Failure by a Partner State to comply with national court orders may violate EAC Treaty principles but the EACJ cannot enforce monetary awards.
  • Regional integration — East African Community — Treaty interpretation — Jurisdiction of the East African Court of Justice — Good governance and rule of law — Non-compliance by Partner State with court orders — Whether non-compliance with national court orders constitutes violation of EAC Treaty — Limitation periods for filing references — Nature of remedies available under the Treaty.
24 March 2016
Court upholds EACJ Registrar recruitment process, confirming Council’s authority to set qualifications and proper application of the quota system.
  • East African Community law — Treaty interpretation — Recruitment to community institutions — Authority of Council to set qualification criteria — Application of quota system — Non-discrimination — Publication and procedural requirements for Council decisions.
23 March 2016
Refusal to grant an applicant a special interview dispensation was not discriminatory nor a breach of equal opportunity under EAC law.
  • East African Community law — Recruitment — Principles of good governance, equal opportunity, gender equality — Alleged discrimination — Administrative decision-making — Interview procedures — Special dispensation — Staff recruitment regulations — Judicial review of administrative recruitment decisions — Travel and accommodation reimbursement.
23 March 2016
An unsuccessful candidate's challenge to EAC staff interview arrangements found no breach of Treaty, non-discrimination or procedural rules.
  • East African Court of Justice — recruitment process — administrative discretion — principles of good governance — equality and non-discrimination — procedural fairness — pleading requirements — appellate review — staff recruitment and interview procedures — Treaty interpretation.
23 March 2016
The Secretary General was found to have breached Treaty obligations by failing to submit a fact-finding report on expelled immigrants to the Council.
  • Regional integration — East African Community — Treaty interpretation — Obligations of Secretary General — Failure to submit investigation report to Council of Ministers — Due diligence and statutory obligations under Treaty — Timeliness of Reference under Article 30(2) — Expulsion of immigrants — Public interest litigation.
22 March 2016
22 March 2016
The court deferred determining the admissibility of disputed annexures until the full hearing of the application.
  • Civil procedure — admissibility of annexures — objection based on EALA (Powers and Privileges) Act — admissibility deferred to merits hearing.
18 March 2016
February 2016
An appeal was struck out for failure to comply with procedural rules on timely service and an incomplete record of appeal.
  • Civil procedure — Appeal — Non-compliance with procedural rules — Failure to serve Notice of Appeal within prescribed time — No application for extension of time — Inherent jurisdiction not available to cure procedural default — Incomplete Record of Appeal — Appeal struck out with costs.
12 February 2016
January 2016
29 January 2016