Court rules in favor of Uganda Wildlife Authority staff

UGANDA (eTN) – As was expected by many informed observers watching the current saga at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) unfold in the public arena, the High Court in Kampala yesterday granted an in

UGANDA (eTN) – As was expected by many informed observers watching the current saga at the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) unfold in the public arena, the High Court in Kampala yesterday granted an injunction in favor of the applicants, led by the UWA executive director Mr. Moses Mapesa, to restrain the recently-appointed chairman of the UWA board from appropriating himself powers not provided for by law, interdicting Mr. Mapesa and his fellow senior colleagues, opening and operating bank accounts, and other issues the applicants had cited in their application.

It is understood that the principal case will be heard on September 13, but until then the board is under the present order now directed NOT to interfere with the applicants.

Predictably, the chairman was quoted in the media of “not knowing about this,” a suggestion raising eyebrows in public, as having known that court was considering the case, informers surely were attending the court session and reporting back promptly once the injunction was granted – although maybe not having been served with the papers by the time the statement was made.

Meanwhile the minister and the board of UWA ignored summons by parliament to appear before them yesterday, with the minister’s office claiming he was upcountry.

In a turn of events the speaker of parliament also suspended parliamentary proceedings until the 13th of September, allowing MP’s to return to their constituencies and stand in party primary elections, a prerequisite to be able to stand again for elections come 2011.

It could not be ascertained if this also affects the work of parliamentary committees or only applies to the formal sittings of parliament in the main chambers. The chairman of the parliamentary committee on tourism was quoted in the local media confirming that the summons had been ignored and would be re-issued, also citing the possibility of the minister really being in his constituency. Watch this space for more breaking news and updates, as and when available.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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