The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) has issued summons to the Kenyan Attorney General requiring him to appear in Court next week to explain why the government he represents blocked the newly sworn in Kenyan President William Ruto from visiting Uganda back in 2021, as Deputy President then.
According to the summons signed by Christine Mutimura- Wekesa the EACJ Deputy Registrar, the Kenyan government is required to send a legal representative in the matter on 20th September 2022.
“Please note that if there is no appearance on your part, the Court will proceed to hear the case and make necessary orders your absence notwithstanding,” reads part of the summons.
In 2021 Dr. Paul Bamutaze, a Ugandan Businessman also a member of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), dragged to court Kenyan Members of Parliament to East African court of justice (EACJ) accusing them of issuing demeaning statements against Uganda “which affects the country’s reputation.”
The matter was filed in the East African Court of Justice in 2021 when Ruto was still serving as the Deputy President of Kenya after he was blocked from flying to Uganda at Wilson Airport.
He was accused of attempting to go for a second trip in a period of less than a month without clearance from the then President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Some individuals from Orange Democratic Movement Members of Parliament namely; Honourables Junet Mohammed, John Mbadi, OpiyoWandayi, Caleb Amisi, Jared Okello, Anthony Otieno, Fatuma Abdi and Millie Odhiambo blamed Ruto of having planned to use the said trip “to borrow tricks from Uganda’s National Resistance Movement (NRM) on how to succeed in the National elections (2022 Kenyan Presidential Elections).”
In the application which was filed before the EACJ sub registry in Kampala, Bamutaze contends that “the accusations made by the legislators that Uganda’s record on freedom of press, human rights and Democracy is not worth borrowing” has an effect on East Africa integration.
He therefore asked court to declare that the said statements were illegal and against principles of mutual cooperation and good governance.
The Justices handling this matter are; Yohane Masara the Principal Judge, Charles Nyawello the Deputy Principal Judge, Justice Charles Nyachae, Richard Muhumuza and Justice Richard Wejuli.
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