NEWS- 22 dissatisfied parties with a recent Constitutional court ruling which upheld the Anti-homosexuality Law have today filed their memorandum of appeal before the Supreme Court listing 13 grounds on which they are basing to challenge the decision.
Through a notice of appeal filed on the 16th/ April 2024, the parties led by the West Budama MP Fox Odoi Olwoyelo and Dr. Adrian Juuko of the Human Rights awareness and Promotion Forum (HRAPF) notified the registrar of the Supreme Court about their intentions to challenge the Constitutional court judgement which maintained a parliamentary resolution against same sex marriages in Uganda.
On 3rd/ April 2024, the Constitutional Court chaired by the Deputy Chief justice Richard Buteera dismissed a petition filed by Fox Odoi and 22 others against the Attorney General and contemporary Born again pastor Martin Ssempa seeking orders to annul the Anti-homosexuality Law (2022) saying it offends the basic human rights such as freedom for association and expression that are enshrined within the Constitutional.
The petitioners were also aggrieved that the Anti-Homosexuality Act spells out harsh punishments such as death and life imprisonment for consenting adults who choose to engage in same sex.
However, the Constitutional court ruled that the Anti-Homosexuality law was enacted to protect the children and the most vulnerable people in society; a position that did not sit well with the LGBTQ activists and are now asking the Supreme Court to overturn it.
Among the grounds of appeal advanced is one where they ask the Supreme Court to hold in error the Constitutional court justices for ruling that there were wide country public consultations before the enactment of AHA.
The appellants further challenge the Constitutional Court decision to overlook the conduct of the speaker which they claim exhibited bias during the proceedings to enact AHA in Parliament and lastly, they fault the court for ruling that the private members Bill introduced the Act did not have a charge on the consolidated fund.
The appellants who still maintain that the Anti-Homosexuality Law violates several freedoms and rights and is discriminatory among Ugandans. Now want the decision to be reviewed by seven justices of the apex court and null it. The Attorney General and Pastor Ssempa haven’t yet filed their respective responses.
