THE EFFECT OF PUBLIC ORDER MANAGEMENT ACT 2013 ON CONSTIUTIONALISM & RULE OF LAW IN UGANDA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATlON ............................................................................................................................. i

APPROVAL ................................................................................................................................... ii

DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ............................................................................................................. iv

TABLE 0F CONTENTS ................................................................................................................ v

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................. viii

CHAPTER 0NE ........................................................................................................................... l

INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY .......................................................................................... l

1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... I

1.1 Background of the study ........................................................................................................... I

1.2 Statement of problem ................................................................................................................ 4

1.3 Purpose of the study .................................................................................................................. 5

1.4 Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 5

I.5 Research questions .................................................................................................................... 6

1.6 Scope of the study ..................................................................................................................... 6

1.7 Significance of the study ........................................................................................................... 6

I.8 Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 7

1.9 Literature review ....................................................................................................................... 7

1.10 Chapterization ...................................................................................................................... 18

CHAPTER TWO ........................................................................................................................ 19

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF HISTORY OF CONSTITUTIONALISM AND RULE OF LAW IN UGANDA ........................................................................... 19

2.0 Introduction ............ .......... ......... ............................................. .......... .. .. ................................... 19

2.1 Domestication of the provisions of the Declaration into national legislation ......................... 19

2.2 Implementation of the right to liberty ......... ...... ................................. ................. .................... 24

2.3 Effective Judicial Protection of Right to Liberty . ...... ............................................................. 25

2.4 Role of Local Governments in Promoting Right to Liberty ....... ............................................ 28

CHAPTER THREE .................................................................................................................... 31

IDENTIFYING RELEVANT SECTIONS OF PUBLIC ORDER MANAGEMENT ACT 2013 THAT AFFECT CONSTITUTIONALISM & RULE OF LAW IN UGANDA .......... 31

3.0 Introduction ........................................................................................................ .... 31

CHAPTER FOUR ....................................................................................................................... 37

THE CHALLENGES AFFECTING DIFFERENT STAKE HOLDERS IN ENSURING THAT PUBLIC ORDER MANAGEMENT ACT 2013 DOES NOT VIOLATE CONSTITUTIONALISM & RULE OF LAW IN UGANDA .... 37

4.0 Introduction ......... ......................... .................................................................................... ....... 37

4.1 Restrictive Legal and Policy framework ................................. .. .............................................. 37

4.2 Accessing protection and remedies .......................................... ...... .................................. .. .... . 38

4.3 Security threats .... .......... ................................................................. ......................................... 39

4.4 Inadequate Knowledge about the right to liberty protective mechanisms .............................. 41

4.5 Financial Challenges ........................ ........ .................. ............................................................. 42

4.6 Challenges Related to Particular Professions .......... ............... ....... .. .............. ......................... 43

CHAPTER FIVE ........................................................................................................................ 44

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................... 44

5.1 CONCLUSIONS ..................................................................................................................... 44

5.2 Recommendations ................................................................................................................... 45

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 49 

ABSTRACT 

The Public order Management Act Came into force on 2"d October 2013, ever since its enactment it was followed by a lot of protests and criticisms. The scenes have been as many as they have been predictable. Some people declared that they would exercise their right to freedom of assembly and demonstration unhindered as reported. The POMA was enacted to provide a regulatory framework for public assemblies. It however gives wide discretionary powers to the Uganda Police Force to deny and disperse any assemblies. It controls rather than regulates assemblies when it subjects free expression to the whims of the Inspector General of Police to determine whether people as individuals or collectively as .associations can freely exercise the freedom of expression. It goes beyond controlling the content of the meeting or gathering discussions on politics or examining the performance of the elected government, not least its failures. The law contravenes Articles 20 (1) (2) and 29 (1) (d) of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda for its provisions reverse a Constitutional Court ruling which repealed sections 32 (2) of the Police Act that granted the police powers to prohibit public assemblies and processions in the case of Muwanga Kivumbi vs Attorney General. The public international law respects state sovereignty and leaves some room for acting as the state may think lit; in other words, there were some critical issues, which fall within the state's sole discretion. All treaty bodies established to supervise the fulfillment of commitments undertaken by the State take into consideration the background in which a particular measure is employed and respect various needs that do not prejudice human rights protection, a major concern of all civilized nations. This approach acknowledged in international law is manipulated by the States on various occasions, as they tend to mask their real intentions under the cover of certain legitimate aims. Despite a number of solutions put in place and provisions by both the Constitution and other viii international legislations, the police and other stakeholders are still violating the right to liberty in the country, this research highlights various recommendations to the recommended bodies in order to exercise the right to liberty in Uganda