Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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March 12, 2007

Ugandan Lawyers Begin Strike Action Today
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=169CE44:A6F02AD83191E160EBBD4E77853D7B0B9574F7DCC14957C0 Lawyers in
Uganda begin a three-day strike action Monday to protest what they
call the Museveni government’s interference with the independence of
the judicial system Lawyers in Uganda begin a three-day strike action
Monday to protest what they call the Museveni government’s
interference with the independence of the judicial system. The
lawyers’ strike comes on the heel of a weeklong suspension of judicial
activities by judges to protest the re-arrest by security forces of
six suspects who had been granted bail by the court.  Although the
judges are expected to resume judicial business Monday, sources say
their strike action could possibly cripple the judicial system.

Erias Lukwago is a practicing attorney and a member of parliament. He
said the lawyers are beginning their strike to point out their
displeasure with what he called government interference.

“Today we are starting the strike following the resolution that we
passed last week at the emergency general assembly of the Uganda law
society. It came on the heels of what transpired on the first day of
March…which amounted to the question of the tamper of justice, which
is a violation of the rule of law and the independence of the
judiciary in particular,” he said.

Lukwago said the strike is also to demonstrate to all that the
country’s lawyers would simply not be pushovers.

“We are starting the strike to demonstrate to the executive arm of
government and to the public at large that we lawyers, as vanguards of
the constitution and the rule of law and indeed the independence of
the judiciary, we will not yield to these things,” Lukwago pointed
out.

He said though the strike would have an effect on the judicial system,
it is necessary.

“I do appreciate that our strike will paralyze the judicial work. But
certainly it is inevitable considering what is going on. What would be
the use of us appearing before court, carry out our statutory duties
of representing our clients and we get remedies from the court and at
the end of the day the executive branch rubbishes everything?” he
asked.

Lukwago accused the Museveni government of disrespecting the
judiciary.

“They don’t respect the judicial orders; they don’t respect the
judges. They don’t respect the outcome of the decisions of these
cases. So what would be the use of us going ahead with these kinds of
litigation, which is futile? So the whole point is, it will definitely
affect the work of the judiciary, but it is inevitable if we are to
realize the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in our
country,” Lukwago noted.

He claimed the government is behind what he called the gross
disrespect of the judicial system by security forces.

“This is not the first time this is happening… remember a similar
incident took place on the 16 of November 2005, we held an emergency
general assembly; we resolved to have a dialogue with President
Museveni; we made our petition to him as chief executive…but all those
things could not call for the concern of the executive and no remedies
were made,” he said.

Lukwago reiterated what he said were the frustrations of lawyers in
the country.

“What we are saying right now is that, enough is enough. And that is
not actually the only event. It has been a series of events. It’s now
a trend that the executive arm of government is transgressing from the
constitutional path,” he said.

Lukwago said the Uganda Law Society hopes this strike action would
sound a warning to the international bodies, especially following on
the heels of the judges’ strike last week.





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