It has become commonplace for the President of the Republic of
Uganda to issue directives and orders to ministers, government
agencies and officials, with the public generally believing that
these orders must be strictly followed. Recently, the High Court in
Nanding Christine v. Attorney General has held that
presidential directives are self-enforcing and carry the force of
law.
The decision has sparked controversy and raised uncertainty
surrounding the legality, force, and strength of these presidential
directives as it contradicts provisions of the law and earlier
decisions by superior courts.
Background
The President of Uganda instructed the Ministry of Finance to
raise the salaries of lawyers working within the Uganda Police
Force, to align with their counterparts working with Attorney
General's chambers and the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
However, in 2022, the Ministry of Public Service reduced the
salaries, citing overpayment. The affected lawyers
