The Judiciary has advised Parliament to challenge a court order, barring legislators from debating handouts to government officials involved in a tax arbitration case between Uganda and Heritage Oil.
The order, issued by Deputy Chief Justice, Steven Kavuma on January 9, ordered that any debate on the payment of the six billion Shillings bonus to government officials be halted pending hearing of a petition filed by lawyer Eric Sabiiti.
The officials shared 6 billion Shillings for helping Uganda secure USD 400 million (1.4 trillion Shillings) in capital gains tax from Heritage’s sale of its stake to Tullow Oil.
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On Tuesday, the injunction was a center of debate in Parliament, promoting the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga to direct the Deputy Attorney General Mwesigwa Rukutana to vacate the court order before parliament business can resume.
In a short statement issued today morning, Chief Registrar Paul Gadenya says the Judiciary has noted that Parliament is aggrieved by the decision of the Constitutional Court and advises the institution to appeal the order.
