AGE LIMIT: Attorney General ready to respond

Mbale, Uganda | URN | Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana has said that his team is ready to respond to issues raised by petitioners seeking to overturn the 2017 Constitutional Amendment, through which the cap on the Presidential age was lifted.

Rukutana and his team have been at the Court since Monday when hearing of the Constitutional Court petition hearing kicked off in Mbale. Over the last two days, the five Judges on a panel headed by Deputy Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo have focused on submissions by the petitioner’s lawyers led by Dan Wandera Ogalo.

Rukutana, as the respondent is assisted by the Solicitor General, Francis Atoke and the acting Director Civil Litigation, Christine Kaahwa alongside eight other lawyers from the Attorney General’s Chambers.

No external lawyers have been included on the respondent’s team as it has been in the past.

Rukutana, says his team has taken note of all issues raised in the submissions and is ready to respond to the submission as and when they are accorded time. He was speaking to journalists at the Court premises in Mbale.

The petitioners’ lawyers have cited a number of reasons why they want the Court to overturn the Constitution Amendment Act 2017. The submissions are based on issues of law as well as procedure followed in amending the law. The petitioners’ lawyers and the respondents have already agreed on how the submissions, response and cross examination of witnesses is to be conducted.

Erias Lukwago, the Lawyer representing the six MPs who were suspended at the time the Constitution amendment was being considered said they agreed to proceed with the issues of law then cross examinations next week on Tuesday