Lawyer seeks to stop election in new constituencies

By Sania Babirye

City lawyer Ben Muhumuza has petitioned the high court seeking an interim injunction against the elections of MPs in the 46 newly created constituencies saying cabinet passed them without any legal backing.

Through his lawyers of Newmark advocates, Muhumuza says that his main case in which he is challenging the legality of the created new constituencies will be over taken by event if the said election's are carried out.

According to Muhumuza, no consultation with the county councils was carried out as the law government the creation of new constituencies states making the said creations illegal and cabinet had no powers to pass them.

The said constituencies were created in July this year by parliament and the total number of constituencies now stands at 353.

Muhumuza is suing the minister of local government, attorney general and electoral commission.

In his main suit, the lawyer wants court to stop EC from carrying out nominations for the said constituencies that were created after the 26th of July 2013.

In 2015, Parliament approves 43 constituencies while 46 were approved in 2020.

He explains that in 2013 when the local government act was created, the administrative level of county was abolished and that for a county to be created must be initiated but it does not exist any more because it was abolished the same year during an Amendment.