Rwanda : EACJ to establish Kigali Sub-registry

The East African Court of Justice (EACJ) will launch its Kigali Sub-registry on 10^th/August/2012.The launch will be preceded by the EAC-EABC Media Summit which begins on Thursday.

The sub-registry comes following a historical decision of the Council of Ministers that the court opens Sub-Registries in all Partner States.

This will be the first in the region and will mark the beginning of similar subsequent launches in the other Partner States.

With the opening of the Sub Registry, there will be no more need for people from Rwanda to travel to Arusha to file their claims. Instead, claims will be filed at the Sub Registry, which will handle the necessary transmission and communication details.

According to the EACJ, the initiative will ensure that the Court services are easy to reach and affordable to the vast majority of Rwandan residents. A Court Clerk, recruited by the EAC, on full time basis, will operate the Sub-registry.

The East African Court of Justice is created by the East African Treaty to ensure adherence to law in the application, interpretation of and compliance with the Treaty. Annexes and Protocols to the Treaty for an integral part of the Treaty.

Any person who is resident in a Partner State may refer for determination by the East African Court, the legality of any Act, directive, decision or action of a Partner State or an Institution of the Community on the grounds that such Act, regulation, directive or action is unlawful or is an infringement of the Treaty and proceedings are instituted within two months of the act complained of or of the day in which it came to his/her knowledge. The Court also has arbitration jurisdiction.

Decisions of the Court on the interpretation and application of the Treaty take precedence over decisions of national courts on a similar matter.

The Sub-registry is now equipped to start operation. The Court will work closely with the East African Ministry to raise public awareness starting from the Kigali EAC-EACB Media Summit.

The Sub Registry of Rwanda will operate from offices, provided by the Rwanda Judiciary, located on the ground floor of the High Court premises.