The Role That The East African Court Of Justice (EACJ) Play In The Promotion, Protection And Enforcement Of Human Rights In Tanzania

Publication Information

Journal Title: Journal of Legal Studies & Research
Author(s): Moses Matiko
Published On: 09/01/2023
Volume: 8
Issue: 6
First Page: 273
Last Page: 292
ISSN: 2455-2437
Publisher: The Law Brigade Publisher

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Moses Matiko, The Role That The East African Court Of Justice (EACJ) Play In The Promotion, Protection And Enforcement Of Human Rights In Tanzania, Volume 8 Issue 6, Journal of Legal Studies & Research, 273-292, Published on 09/01/2023, Available at https://jlsr.thelawbrigade.com/article/the-role-that-the-east-african-court-of-justice-eacj-play-in-the-promotion-protection-and-enforcement-of-human-rights-in-tanzania/

Abstract

The book who owns the problem? Africa and the struggle for Agency  commences with the Late Pius Adesanmi articulating that he had been  invited to a conference to  reflect on the theme  African solutions  for African  problems[i]  Typical of his somewhat  controversial  view, he proclaimed   that  in Africa politics dictates  problems that are defined  as African .[ii] striking ,though ,is his assertion  that solving  Africa’s perceived  problems depends  on the readiness of the  institutions and opportunities of  African modernity  to rise  up and solve  them using  critical human  intelligence and innovation.[iii]  The  advent  of regional and sub-regional institution arrangements is an idea  developed  by the United Nations as early  as 1968[iv]  for the  fact that  regional  mechanisms  have better  grasp  of regional  interests and conditions; and not least  because  at the time ,there was  clear  reluctance  on the part of Africa  to be imposed  upon  by external  parties given the history  of  colonization embedded in the identity and consciousness of  Africans. Consequently, a number of  sub-regional organizations and organs have been  established  one of which  is the subject of this articles topic  –is the east African Court of justice (EACJ) Established under Article  9  of the East African Community Treaty.[v] The East African Community (EAC)  is a transnational governance structure  located  somewhere beyond the reach  of the nation-state and below the legal regime of  international law .[vi]as dieter Grimm explains in the case of conflict  courts of arbitration  are the conflict solving actors ,applying a transnational law ,which is to a large degree  shaped by themselves [vii] confirming this description is the East African community ,which  has  demonstrated  some  effectiveness in  promoting  regional  cooperation  in  economic  relations in conjunction with  its principal  judicial  organ, the  EACJ, which  has been  empowered  to  advance  respect  for  human rights  and to  independently  adjudicate cases  brought  before  the court  moreover  the court has  a special  mandate  in terms  of areas  to cover  and independent ways of working.

The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) is one of the organs established under Article 9 of the East African Community Treaty.[viii] The East African Community (EAC) has demonstrated some effectiveness in promoting regional cooperation in economic relations. It also disposes of a range of Institutions – including the EACJ and the Treaty – to advance the respect for human rights and to adjudicate independently cases brought before the court. Within the EAC Institutions or organs, the EACJ has a special mandate in terms of areas to cover and independent ways of working.

This article intends to deal with the formal arrangements in place, including those to implement its mandate. Secondly, the article will deal with challenges relating to the interpretation and implementation of its mandate. This has resulted in rulings by the court that were politically controversial to one or more EAC Partner States, given – among other things – the court’s efforts to adjudicate on matters that hint on human rights, an area that it has no mandate yet to adjudicate upon. Section 3 then deals with the political backlash and the approaches by member states to eliminate the EACJ, undo rulings or otherwise constrain the actions, scope and independence of the court. The proposal will also look at key conduits which push for the EACJ to further take – what some have called – an activist stance in the pursuit of implementing its mandate and pushing the boundaries for the enforcement of the protection of human rights within the EAC.

[i] Pius Adesanmi ‘who owns the problem’ in who owns the problem? Africa and the struggle for Agency (Michigan State  university press 2020)3,referring to the  fourth  Annual  African  Renaissance for  unity conference,held in Pretoria,South  Africa on 22 may 2014.

[ii] Ibid 5-6

[iii] Ibid 8

[iv] Specifically the UN Secretary General  was  requested  to consider  the possibility  of  arranging  suitable  regional  seminars  under  the programs of advisory  services …where no regional  commission  on human rights  exist(sic) at present  see  44 UN ESCOR.Supp.NO.4 at 152 UN DOC.E/4475(1968) and 64 UN ESCOR SUPP NO.4 at 132 UN DOC.E/1978/34.(1978)(Adopted on 6 march 1978).

[v] Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, signed on 30 November 1999, came into force on

7 July 2000. Amended on 14 December 2006 and 20 August 2007 [herein EAC Treaty].

[vi] Gunnar Folke schuppert New Modes of Governance and the Rule of Law :The case of Transnational Rule  making ni Michael  Zurn,Andre Nollkaemper,and  Randall peerenboom (eds) Rule  of Law  Dynamics  in an Era  of International  and Transnational Governance (cambridge university ,pres 2012)91.

[vii] ibid

[viii] Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community, signed on 30 November 1999, came into force on

7 July 2000. Amended on 14 December 2006 and 20 August 2007 [herein EAC Treaty].

 

 

Keywords: East African Court Of Justice, Introduction, Background, Jurisdiction, Enforcement

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