Ugandan writer Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, currently in exile, has taken a decisive step by instructing his legal team at Kiiza and Mugisha Advocates to initiate legal proceedings against the Buganda Road chief magistrate in connection with the ongoing offensive communication case. Despite the Constitutional Court’s prior ruling, which nullified the section under which he was charged, Kakwenza contends that the court persists in pursuing the case.
Expressing his frustration in a letter dated March 2, 2024, Kakwenza highlights his dissatisfaction with the chief magistrate’s refusal to acknowledge the significant implications of the Constitutional Court’s decision on his case. He emphasizes his unwillingness to become a victim of what he perceives as judicial obstinacy.
Last year, in the aftermath of the Constitutional Court’s verdict deeming Section 25 of the Computer Misuse Act, 2011, obsolete, Kakwenza directed his legal team to withdraw from representing him in the same court. Displeased with what he sees as the court’s negligence toward the law, Kakwenza argues that continuing the proceedings despite the Constitutional Court’s ruling would amount to accepting unjust persecution.
While maintaining respect for the judiciary as an institution, Kakwenza condemns what he perceives as the incompetence of specific judicial officers and public officials obstructing his rights and freedom. Faced with a disproportionate impact on his freedom of movement and professional engagements as an internationally acclaimed author, Kakwenza sees no recourse but to confront the chief magistrate through legal channels.
In his directive to his legal representatives, Kakwenza strongly urges them to proceed with the necessary legal actions, anxiously anticipating updates on the progress of the matter.
