CONSTITUTIONALISM IN TIMES OF NATIONAL CRISIS: Gov’t of Uganda has done well in fighting Covid-19 but there’s still room to do so more constitutionally Constitutional Lawyer and Makerere Law don, Dr. Busingye Kabumba argues that although thus far the Ugandan Government has been more rational and effective in dealing with the Covid-19 challenges, some of the actions are not grounded on a firm constitutional footing. He argues that given the many restrictions the state has had to make for the good of the country, declaring a state of emergency within the confines of the 1995 would have been the best constitutional direction.

By Dr. Busingye Kabumba Introduction The Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has fundamentally challenged many aspects of international and national life that we had long taken for granted. As at current count, over three million, six hundred seventy nine thousand people (3,679,000) have tested positive for Covid-19, with over two hundred fifty four thousand (254,000) deaths thus far. In Uganda, One hundred One people have so far tested positive and luckily no death. The government has already taken extraordinary measures to try to ensure that this figure remains low- a raft of travel, assembly and work restrictions as well as public awareness…