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.
22 judgments
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22 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
May 2024
Challenge under Markets Act 2023 dismissed as premature because of the Act’s three‑year transitional period.
Markets Act 2023 – transitional provision (section 37(b)) – three‑year grace period for existing market arrangements; Judicial review – amenability – public body (KCCA) – actions and omissions as reviewable decisions; Legitimate expectation – ministerial/presidential directives cannot override statutory transitional provisions; Prematurity – enforcement of new regulatory regime against existing contractual arrangements.
31 May 2024
31 May 2024

 

31 May 2024
High Court found the applicant an employee, partial arrears proven; awarded UGX10m, general damages, interest and costs.
* Constitutional & civil procedure – High Court’s unlimited original jurisdiction – labour statutes do not by implication oust High Court jurisdiction. * Employment law – contract of service vs contract for services – application of control, integration and multiple tests. * Evidence – parol evidence rule and admissibility of a written acknowledgment as full and final settlement. * Remedies – partial recovery of arrears, general damages, interest and costs.
23 May 2024
The court granted an interim order to prevent impounding of vehicles pending a substantive injunction application.
Civil procedure – Interim orders – Temporary injunctions – Preservation of status quo – Serious threat to applicant's interests – Impounding of property pending suit.
23 May 2024

 

23 May 2024
Whether the Registrar lawfully cancelled a certificate of title for registration error and whether judicial review was appropriate.
* Administrative law – judicial review – scope limited to decision-making process; not an appeal on merits. * Land law – Registrar’s powers under section 91 Land Act – rectification/cancellation for registration errors, endorsement or alteration of register. * Procedural fairness – public hearings, service and opportunity to be heard satisfy requirements of natural justice. * Exhaustion of remedies – discretionary rule; judicial review permissible where alternative remedy is ineffective or challenge targets procedure.
21 May 2024
Interim injunction granted to restrain disciplinary proceedings and preserve right to be heard pending judicial review.
Administrative law – interim injunction to preserve status quo pending judicial review; interdiction and disciplinary proceedings; requirement of pending substantive application and risk of execution; evidential burden on respondent’s averments.
17 May 2024
Mandatory injunction refused—applicants failed to show exceptional circumstances; public interest and third‑party prejudice outweighed relief.
Mandatory injunctions – extraordinary remedy; interlocutory mandatory relief requires special and exceptional circumstances; triable issues alone insufficient; public bodies – restraint only where clear unlawfulness; public interest and third‑party prejudice relevant; regulatory circulars operative until quashed.
17 May 2024
Judicial review and interim relief not available to enforce private loan; improper parties sued and application dismissed with costs.
Administrative law – judicial review – availability only for public law breaches, not private contractual disputes; Interlocutory injunction – requirements: prima facie case, irreparable harm, balance of convenience; Proper defendant in public body litigation – statutory corporation v office-holders; Public finance – disbursement tagging and beneficiary verification under financial procedures.
17 May 2024
Court found respondent vicariously liable for its driver's negligent overtaking and awarded special and general damages to the applicants.
* Motor vehicle accident – negligent overtaking – driver found to have invaded oncoming lane causing head-on collision. * Vicarious liability – employer liable for torts of employee committed in course of employment. * Damages – assessment of special damages (vehicle loss, repairs, towing, lost goods), proof of valuation, estimation of loss of dependency where salary evidence lacking; award of general damages and costs. * Evidentiary issues – reliance on police report, sketch plan, vehicle inspection, valuation report and documentary proof of goods and dependants.
17 May 2024
Court granted conditional stay of execution pending appeal, ordering UGX 500,000,000 security deposit.
Civil procedure – Stay of execution pending appeal – Requirements: pending appeal, non-frivolous/likelihood of success, imminent execution threat, substantial loss, no unreasonable delay, and security for due performance – Conditional stay ordered with security deposit (UGX 500,000,000).
17 May 2024
Court granted interim injunction stopping removal and pausing tribunal pending judicial review.
Administrative law – Judicial review – Interim injunction to preserve status quo pending review; natural justice – right to be heard; ultra vires and abuse of power; balance of convenience and irreparable harm.
17 May 2024
Court granted interim injunction restraining enforcement of environmental orders pending judicial review, while protecting the wetland.
Judicial review — interim relief — temporary injunction to preserve status quo pending determination; balance of convenience; public interest in environmental protection; prima facie case and irreparable harm; statutory powers of environmental regulator; duty to avoid rendering main cause nugatory.
17 May 2024
Mandatory interlocutory injunction to restore revoked withholding tax exemption denied for lack of status quo and exceptional circumstances.
Interlocutory mandatory injunction; status quo at time of filing; exceptional nature of mandatory relief; public authority discretion and statutory powers; legitimate expectation; clean hands and equitable relief; tax exemption revocation; preservation of public interest.
17 May 2024
Temporary injunction refused where applicant showed triable issues but failed to prove imminent enforcement or irreparable harm.
Administrative law – judicial review – temporary injunction – requirement of prima facie case, irreparable harm and balance of convenience; Section 34 KCCA Act – council veto of Division decisions; preservation of status quo; public interest considerations.
17 May 2024
Applicant’s judicial review of convocation AGM procedures dismissed for lack of merit; respondents awarded costs.
Administrative law – Judicial review – Amenability of decisions of a university convocation/board to public‑law review; time limits for judicial review; procedural impropriety, illegality and irrationality as grounds for certiorari and mandamus; authority to convene meetings under constitutional instruments; adequacy of notice and members’ roll in elections.
15 May 2024
The court held that only the Judicial Service Commission may handle complaints about judges, not the Law Society or its meetings.
Judicial review – Mandate of professional bodies – Powers of Law Society to inquire or discuss judicial conduct – Exclusivity of Judicial Service Commission in handling complaints against judicial officers – Powers of prohibition and injunction – Procedural fairness in decision-making.
9 May 2024
The respondent acted ultra vires and procedurally improperly by convening an EGM to discuss a judge, warranting prohibition and injunction.
Judicial review – Amenability and exhaustion of remedies; Ultra vires conduct – professional association discussing judicial conduct; Article 147 JSC mandate to handle complaints against judges; Procedural impropriety – failure to notify affected council member; Remedies – prohibition and permanent injunction.
9 May 2024
Statutory demand set aside where applicant substantially disputed the debt, asserted a counterclaim, and insolvency was unproven.
* Insolvency Act 2011 s.5(4) – statutory demand – grounds to set aside: substantial dispute, counterclaim/set-off, other fit grounds * Commercial disputes – reconciliation of accrued hire charges – requirement that debt be ascertained and unequivocal * Insolvency procedure – protection against use of liquidation process as debt collection tool * Counterclaims and offsets – civil suit required to investigate and determine cross-demands
3 May 2024
Caveat lapsed lawfully; applicant failed to prove beneficiary interest and reliefs dismissed with costs.
Administrative law – Judicial review – legality, rationality and procedural propriety; Land law – caveats – beneficiary caveat v ordinary caveat; Registration of Titles Act s139, s140(2) – lapsing of caveat; Bona fide purchaser for value without notice; Justiciability of Registrar’s exercises of statutory powers.
2 May 2024
A consent variation of a decretal award cannot be set aside absent vitiating factors; champertous fee-sharing agreements are unenforceable.
Civil procedure – Consent judgments – binding nature of consent orders; grounds for setting aside: fraud, illegality, mistake or misapprehension of material facts; champerty and maintenance – agreements to share decretal proceeds unlawful; Inspectorate of Government jurisdiction over alleged mismanagement of public funds.
2 May 2024