Court halts hearing case on amendment of abortion laws

By Juliet Nalwooga

Mukono High Court has halted the hearing of one of the cases on abortion laws that were aimed at reducing maternal mobility and deaths related to unsafe abortion.

Justice David Batema in his ruling held that since there were two similar cases before the Constitutional Court in Kampala, it was prudent that he halts the case the abortion before him, pending the outcome of the two.

The halted case filed by Women Pro Bono Initiative had among others thought that the government has failed to provide access to safe and legal abortion services to women and girls that need them.

The civil society organization also wanted to cause an amendment in the abortion laws to allow those girls and women who got pregnant through rape or defilement to be allowed to have carried out an abortion.

Speaking during a media briefing on the said ruling organized by a coalition to stop maternity mortality due to unsafe abortion in Uganda, Beatrice Kayaga, the program officer of Women’s Pro Bono Initiative said the move by court is one of delayed justice.

Written by Noelyn Nassuuna