The Constitutional Court has brought relief to many Ugandans after declaring the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022 null and void.
In its ruling, the court found that Parliament passed the bill on September 8, 2022 without complying with Rule 24(3) of its Rules of Procedure, which requires verification of quorum before any vote on legislation. This procedural flaw rendered the entire process unconstitutional.
The court further held that the Speaker of Parliament acted inconsistently with Articles 88 and 89 of the Constitution, which govern the conduct of parliamentary business and the requirements for quorum.
The law had been challenged by a coalition of civil society organisations, lawyers, and journalists, including Alternative Digitalk, the Uganda Law Society, and the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda.
The petitioners contested both the procedure used to pass the law and several of its substantive provisions.
The ruling is widely seen as a victory for constitutionalism, reinforcing the importance of adherence to parliamentary procedures and the rule of law.
This now implies that those facing charges of Computer Misuse claims are likely to have their charges dropped and walk free according Kira Municipality MP-elect, Hon.George Musis.
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