Uganda New City rules nullified by Masaka City Court

Minister Raphael Magyezi
Following an earlier ruling by Masaka High Court judge Moses Kawumi Kazibwe that Minister for Local Government Hon Raphael Magyezi didn’t act in law while operationalizing the new cities, the court has now issued an order implementing said ruling.

The order was issued on 27th October 2020 by the Registrar of Masaka High court

“The guidelines issued on 30th day of June 2020 by the Minister for Local Government for operationalization of new cities are hereby quashed for being a nullity with no force of laws, and whatever was done under the said impugned guidelines is hereby declared a nullity,” the court ruled.

In the earlier court ruling, the judge noted that Minister Magyezi didn’t use proper legal procedures when he gazetted the new cities in a press conference instead of a statutory instrument as required by law.

The ruling was in favor of an application which was filed in court by Masaka District Chairman Jude Mbabaali alongside 11 others accusing Hon Magyezi of flouting Local Government rules (CAP 243) when he issued guidelines for the operationalization of new cities.

The ruling implies among others that operationalization of the new cities shall take effect in February 2021 with the new leaders that will have been elected after the elections.