Communication 431/12 – Thomas Kwoyelo v. Uganda
other citizens. Its meaning is the right to have the same procedures and principles
applied under the same conditions.42
160.
Equal protection of the law under Article 3(2) on the other hand, means that no
person or class of persons shall be denied the same protection of the laws which is
enjoyed by other persons or class of persons in like circumstances in their lives,
liberty, property, and in their pursuit of happiness. It simply means that similarly
situated persons must receive similar treatment under the law.43
161.
In the instant case, what the Complainant is alleging is not that the law - the
Amnesty Act - does not provide equal protection to the Victim. Rather what is
alleged is that the Amnesty Act has been applied in a discriminatory manner to the
Victim resulting in a violation of his right. The issue, therefore, relates to a different
application of the law to similar circumstances, which falls within the ambit of
Article 3 (2) of the Charter. Equality before the law, as expounded above, does not
only refer to the content of legislation, but also to its enforcement. It means that
judges and administration officials may not act arbitrarily in enforcing laws.
162.
Nevertheless, not all discriminations are tantamount to a violation of the right
to equal treatment. In some instances, discrimination, in law or practice, can be
justified. International human rights law recognizes what are called positive or
justified discriminations. It is, however, noteworthy that as the right to equality
and non-discrimination form the bedrock of human rights law, there are stringent
requirements that a discriminatory act or differential treatment should fulfil in
order to be justified. As the Commission has opined in the case of Kenneth Good
v. Botswana, and later reaffirmed in Dabalorivhuwa Patriotic Front v. the Republic
of South Africa, a differential treatment is considered a violation of the principles
ACHPR, Communication 294/06 – Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and Institute for
Human Rights and Development in Africa v Zimbabwe (2009), para. 96. See also Communication
323/06 – Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights & INTERIGHTS V. Egypt, (2011) para. 173.
43
ACHPR, Communication 294/06 – Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights and Institute for
Human Rights and Development in Africa v Zimbabwe (2009), para. 99.
42
43
62nd Ordinary Session, 25 April – 9 July 2018