The Admissibility of Subregional Courts’ Decisions before the African Commission. ..
249
rights jurisdiction in the EACJ, but postpones its operation until a future
protocol authorises the commencement of the human rights jurisdiction.52
In Katabazi v Secretary-General of the East African Community, the Court
was seized with a case in which ugandan security personnel interfered with
preparation of bail documents by surrounding Ugandan High Court and re
arresting persons who were released on bail.53 The arrested persons were taken
before a military General Court Martial which remanded them in custody.54
Although the Ugandan Constitutional Court ruled that the interference of the
security personnel with the High Court was unconstitutional, the arrested
persons were not released.55 The plaintiffs mainly invoked the violation of the
EAC Treaty. The Court held that “jurisdiction with respect to human rights
requires a determination of the Council and a conclusion of a Protocol to that
effect.”56 Since both of those steps did not take place, the Court held that “this
Court may not adjudicate on disputes concerning violation of human rights per
se.”57 However, the Court has shown some judicial activism.58 It held that ‘the
intervention by the armed security agents of Uganda to prevent the execution of
a lawful court order violated the principle of the rule of law.’59 Actually, the
EACJ upheld the right to liberty and claimed jurisdiction in human rights cases
by framing its decisions in terms of treaty violations.
in East African Law Society v Attorney-General of Kenya, the applicant
challenged the procedure of amending the EAC Treaty on the ground that it did
not consult the people.60 Triggered by earlier decisions of the Court, the
amendment modified the Court’s structure by introducing an appellate division.
The impact of the amendment was negative as it narrowed the jurisdiction of the
Court and provided a time limit within which references by natural and judicial
persons may be instituted before the Court. The Court held that ‘the lack of
people’s participation in the impugned amendment process was inconsistent
with the spirit and intendment of the Treaty.’61 In essence, the Court upheld the
52
Art 27 (2), EAC Treaty.
and Others v Secretary-General of the East African Community and
Another (2007) AHRLR 119 (EAC 2007), para 2.
54 Ibid, para 3.
55 Ibid,para 4.
56 Ibid, para 34.
57 Ibid.
58 Solomon T Ebobrah (2009), ‘Human rights development in sub-regional courts in
Africa in 2008’ African Human Rights Law Journal Vol. 9, p. 315.
59 Katabazi case , supra note 53, para 54.
60 East African Law Society and Others v Attorney-General of Kenya and Others,
Reference 3 of 2007 at 11.
61 Ibid, p. 42.
53 Katabazi