Lawyers Protest Museveni’s Proposal to Scrap Bail for Rioters

Mercy Nalugo

22 May 2011

Lawyers have protested proposals by President Museveni to scrap the right to bail for rioters and economic saboteurs emphasizing that the power to grant or deny bail is an exercise of judicial discretion and by judicial officers.

The lawyers under their umbrella organisation, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) in a joint statement sent to Sunday Monitor yesterday said the proposal would go against local and international laws on the established principles of bail.

The proposals will target particular citizens whose rights shall be encroached upon contrary to the law, the lawyers noted.

The proposals announced recently have already attracted criticism from the opposition and political commentators who have argued that the President’s move is an attempt to usurp powers of court and to silence the opposition.

“The proposal will create legislation directed to particular citizens with a deliberate aim to encroach on their rights which is contrary to the cardinal principle of rule of law for example a legislation passed to target particular citizens is contrary to the principles of rule of law,” reads in part a statement signed by the ULS President, Mr James Mukasa Sebugenyi.

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