HC: Civil Division (Uganda)

The Civil Division is a division of the high court. It's functions include: Hearing appeal cases from the Magistrates' courts in connection with torts committed against the person, Defamation, Bankruptcy and company winding up matters, Partnership matters,Companies matters, Real and personal property.

Physical address
Twed towers, along Kafu Road, Nakasero.
39 judgments
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39 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
August 2018
High Court reviews procedural irregularity, orders consolidation of suits for fair hearing.
Civil Procedure - Revision - Material irregularity in jurisdiction - Consolidation of cases - Right to be heard.
31 August 2018
Court ordered an EGM under Companies Act s142 to allow share transmission or allotment where quorum was lacking after a shareholder’s death.
Companies Act s142 – court-ordered meetings where impracticable to convene; corporate deadlock due to deceased shareholder; transmission and allotment of shares; Judicature Act s33 remedial powers; costs payable by company.
31 August 2018
Court dismisses fraudulent attempt to reopen employment claim settled by consent judgment and final award.
Employment law – employee claims – settlement agreement – abuse of process in attempting to reopen settled claims
30 August 2018
Plaintiff entitled to in-house retirement benefits; awarded damages, interest and costs for prolonged denial.
Pension/In-house retirement scheme – interim awards as stop-gap measures – recipients entitled to final benefits under new scheme. Interim award – not a final settlement – does not bar subsequent claim for full retirement benefits. Remedies – award of general damages for prolonged denial of pension, interest, and costs.
30 August 2018
Blanket ministerial ban on fishing‑gear imports was unlawful and breached fair hearing, but prerogative orders were declined as ban lapsed.
Judicial review – Illegality and ultra vires acts – Minister lacking jurisdiction where specific Fish Act governs; Procedural fairness – legitimate expectation and right to be heard; Irrationality/Wednesbury unreasonableness; Remedies – discretionary refusal of prerogative orders where decision has lapsed; Declaratory relief and damages; Proper joinder of implementing agency (URA).
28 August 2018
Review of state authority's discretion under anti-terrorism laws to freeze assets without prior notice to account holders.
Judicial review – Anti-Terrorism Act – Freezing of bank accounts – Discretionary powers – Natural justice.
27 August 2018
Minister acted ultra vires and denied procedural fairness in barring an association’s nominated board representative.
Administrative law – judicial review; ultra vires action by Minister; natural justice – right to fair hearing; mandamus to compel appointment; refusal of unproven damages.
24 August 2018
Minister acted ultra vires and denied fair hearing when rejecting an association’s nominated board representative; decision quashed and mandamus issued.
Administrative law – judicial review – limits of ministerial discretion in appointments – ultra vires acts Administrative law – natural justice – duty to afford hearing where adverse findings underpin a decision Statutory interpretation – National Drug Policy and Authority Act – composition of NDA and source of membership Remedies – certiorari to quash decision and mandamus to compel ministerial act; damages denied for lack of proof
24 August 2018
A consent judgment entered without jurisdiction or administrator capacity may be set aside; civil imprisonment for non-monetary decrees is unlawful.
Succession law – jurisdiction over caveat removal and administration causes – Chief Magistrate’s jurisdiction versus High Court. Consent judgments – validity, common mistake, illegality, and capacity to bind parties in estate matters. Execution – civil imprisonment for non-monetary decrees/specific performance requires proof of willful refusal and means; re-arrest under same decree prohibited. Limitation and laches – applicability when illegality alleged and decree still enforceable.
24 August 2018
Employee continued by conduct; termination was wrongful, arrest and prosecution unlawful and malicious, substantial damages awarded.
Employment law  contract by conduct  unlawful termination; Constitutional and tort liability  unlawful arrest, false imprisonment and malicious prosecution; Remedies  general, exemplary damages and interest; costs.
23 August 2018
Review dismissed: alleged error was not self‑evident; misconstruction or discretionary decisions are matters for appeal.
Civil procedure – Review – Error apparent on the face of the record – Jurisdiction of a Judge other than the one who made the order – Distinction between review and appeal; misapplication of law or discretionary errors are matters for appeal, not review.
23 August 2018
Wrongful utility disconnection and erroneous billing constituted breach of contract and trespass, awarding damages to the plaintiff.
Utility law — unlawful disconnection and breach of supply contract; trespass ab initio where lawful access is abused; pleading rule for special damages; bad-debt write-off as evidence of non-liability; remedies — special and general damages, costs and interest; punitive damages not awarded without particulars.
22 August 2018
Court ordered removal of caveat: guarantor status and failure to prove forgery defeated claimed family/matrimonial interest.
Land law – caveat – removal of caveat where guarantor status implies consent; Family land/matrimonial property – Section 38A (Land Act) – definition and effect on disposal; Evidence – burden to prove forgery under Sections 101 and 102 of the Evidence Act; Civil procedure – interim protection by caveat versus proof of equitable interest.
22 August 2018
Dismissal of a stay application in a public procurement dispute due to executed contract and lack of status quo.
Public Procurement - Stay of Execution - Contract Execution - Balance of Convenience
20 August 2018
Court granted stay of execution pending appeal where appeal was pending, execution risk existed and respondent did not reply.
Civil procedure — Stay of execution pending appeal — Conditions for grant: substantive appeal with prospects of success; risk execution will render appeal nugatory; promptness — Respondent's failure to reply treated as concession; Order granted under s.98 Civil Procedure Act and Order 22 r.23 CPR.
20 August 2018
Applicant failed to exhaust university appeals and the judicial review application was moot; suspension lawfully imposed.
Judicial review – exhaustion of internal remedies – university disciplinary appeals; Mootness – remedies discretionary where events overtaken by implementation; Administrative law – review grounds: illegality, irrationality, procedural impropriety; Natural justice – right to be heard does not necessarily include right to counsel in university disciplinary proceedings.
17 August 2018
Application for extension of time to appeal dismissed for unexplained two-year delay and lack of sufficient cause.
Civil procedure – extension of time to file appeal – requirement to show sufficient cause related to inability to take necessary steps within prescribed time. Evidence – supplementary affidavit filed without leave – struck off; parties must seek leave to file additional affidavits. Appeals – requirement under Order 43 to present a Memorandum of Appeal; filing notice or letter is insufficient.
17 August 2018
Application to challenge appointment of Chairperson of National Drug Authority dismissed due to lack of public interest litigation grounds.
Constitutional law – enforcement of rights – public interest litigation – appointment of statutory authority officials – conflict of interest considerations.
17 August 2018
A constitutional enforcement action challenging a regulator’s appointment was incompetent and dismissed; no unlawful appointment or conflict proved.
Administrative law – judicial review v constitutional enforcement under Article 50; appointment of public officials – ministerial discretion and its limits; licensing and professional regulation – effect of licence renewal grace period; conflict of interest – standards for disqualification of regulatory chairpersons.
17 August 2018
Applicant’s Article 50 challenge was incompetent; ministerial appointment lawful and application dismissed with costs.
Constitutional procedure — Article 50 enforcement vs judicial review — competence to challenge administrative appointments; Administrative law — scope and limits of ministerial discretion in appointments; Professional licensing — effect of delayed licence renewal and routine grace periods; Conflict of interest — speculative allegations insufficient to disqualify public officeholders.
17 August 2018
Application for extension of time to appeal dismissed due to lack of sufficient cause and unexplained delay.
Civil Procedure - Extension of Time - Filing an Appeal - Sufficient Cause - Supplementary Affidavit
17 August 2018
Applicant failed to show sufficient cause for extension of time to file an appeal; application dismissed with costs.
Extension of time – sufficiency of cause – delay of over two years unexplained; supplementary affidavit filed without leave struck off – Order 52 r.3; appeal procedure – requirement to present Memorandum of Appeal – Order 43; dilatory conduct or wrong tactical decision by counsel not sufficient cause.
17 August 2018
Judicial review dismissed: school lawfully excluded student for unpaid prior-term fees; no legitimate expectation or procedural unfairness established.
Administrative law – judicial review – amenability of school decisions to review; procedural fairness and natural justice; legitimate expectation; contractual and rule-based obligation to pay school fees; reliefs of certiorari, declaration and mandamus; affidavit admissibility and preliminary objections.
16 August 2018
Court found serious regulatory and governance failings and declared a ministerial import ban illegal but refused prerogative remedies as moot.
Administrative law – Judicial review – Illegality, irrationality and procedural impropriety as grounds for review; discretion in granting prerogative remedies where impugned decision has expired; Regulation of collecting societies – statutory duties of registrar, requirement for audits, provident fund, proper meetings and transparent governance; Right to a hearing before revocation of licences.
16 August 2018
Court held the ban on fishing gear importation was illegal and awarded damages to the applicant for procedural unfairness.
Administrative law - Judicial review - Illegality, irrationality, and procedural impropriety in banning importation - Ultra vires actions by a Minister.
16 August 2018
Court orders mandamus compelling restoration of wrongly re-surveyed land by commissioner under statutory duty.
Judicial review – Mandamus – Restoration of deed plan – Statutory duty under Registration of Titles Act – Enforcement of meeting resolutions.
16 August 2018
High Court affirms jurisdiction of magistrate in small claims, despite applicant's limitation argument.
Civil Procedure - Revision - jurisdiction and limitation in small claims - informal evidence rules - awarding of costs
16 August 2018
Court ordered issuance of pharmacy license per 2017 guidelines, citing illegality and irrationality in decision made.
Judicial Review – Pharmacy licensing – Legitimacy of decision-making process – Applicability of guidelines – Legitimate expectation.
16 August 2018
Applicant had legitimate expectation to a 2017 pharmacy licence; respondent’s retroactive application of 2018 guidelines was unlawful and unreasonable.
Administrative law – Judicial review – Legitimate expectation – Representation by public authority to apply under 2017 Guidelines – Retrospective application of 2018 Guidelines – Irrationality/unreasonableness of decision – Remedies: certiorari, mandamus, damages and costs.
16 August 2018
Applicant failed to exhaust the statutory appeal route; acting appointment did not create legitimate expectation of substantive promotion.
Administrative law – Judicial review – requirement to exhaust statutory alternative remedies (University Staff Tribunal) before High Court review; Public employment – recruitment procedures and composition of appointments board; Legitimate expectation – acting appointment does not automatically create substantive promotion expectation where HR policy mandates external advertisement; Judicial discretion – refusal of certiorari where decision affects innocent third party who has assumed office.
16 August 2018
Seller's failure to effect transfer and provide title documents after full payment justified specific performance and dismissal of the appeal.
Land law – Contract of sale of land – Seller’s duty to facilitate subdivision and to sign/produce transfer and mutation forms and title; Specific performance where buyer has paid and seller delays beyond reasonable time; Possession and equitable ownership vis-à-vis unregistered title; Role of locus in quo and credibility findings; Distinguishability of precedent.
16 August 2018
Disconnection of a customer's electricity without regulatory basis or a hearing is unlawful; appeal dismissed with costs.
Electricity law – unlawful disconnection – bulk metering – necessity of regulatory approval and lawful grounds under Electricity (Quality of Service Code) Regulations 2003; Administrative law – procedural fairness – right to be heard; Contract/memorandum – third parties not bound by agreement between licensee and association.
16 August 2018
Judicial review dismissed as alternative remedies were not exhausted, and no breach of procedure or legitimate expectation for promotion was found.
Judicial Review – Exhaustion of Alternative Remedies – Legitimate Expectation for Promotion – Procedural Impropriety in Appointment Processes.
15 August 2018
15 August 2018
15 August 2018
15 August 2018
14 August 2018
13 August 2018
3 August 2018