Constitutional Court Denies Women the Right to Inherit Customary Titles (May. 20, 2013) by Hanibal Goitom

On May 16, 2013, Lesotho's High Court (Constitutional Division) upheld a provision in the Chieftainship Act giving ...

Topic: Women
Jurisdiction: Lesotho

Supreme Court Upholds Bini Customary Law System of Primogeniture (Apr. 24, 2013) by Hanibal Goitom

On April 19, 2013, the Nigerian Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, upheld the principle of primogeniture under the Bini customary law of succession in which ...

Topic: Family
Jurisdiction: Nigeria

Parliament Considering Measure to Outlaw Possession of Weapons in Public Gatherings (Feb. 19, 2013) by Hanibal Goitom

South Africa's government recently submitted the Dangerous Weapons Bill, 2012, aimed at banning possession of "dangerous weapons" ...

Topic: Weapons
Jurisdiction: South Africa

Proposal to Tighten Rules on Private Security Industry (Aug. 02, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

It was reported on June 21, 2012, that the Private Security Industry Regulation Amendment Bill, aimed at, among other objectives, restricting foreign ownership of private security ...

Topic: National security
Jurisdiction: South Africa

Ban on Same-Sex Marriage Passed by Senate (Jul. 30, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On July 20, 2012, the 30-member Liberian Senate unanimously passed legislation aimed at amending the Domestic Relations Law to ban same-sex marriage. (J. Burgess Carter,

Topic: Family
Jurisdiction: Liberia

House of Assembly Reduces Powers of Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (Jul. 20, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On July 12, 2012, the 214-member Zimbabwe House of Assembly adopted the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission Bill, 2011, aimed at putting into operation the Zimbabwe Human ...

Topic: Human rights
Jurisdiction: Zimbabwe

Lower House Adopts Legislation Aimed at Improving Welfare of Elderly (Jul. 19, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

It was reported on July 16, 2012, that Zimbabwe's House of Assembly, the lower house of the country's 313-member bicameral Parliament, passed the Older Persons Bill, ...

Topic: Social security
Jurisdiction: Zimbabwe

Federal Court Imposes Harsh Sentences on Journalists, Opposition Members (Jul. 17, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On July 13, 2012, the Ethiopian Federal Court handed down severe sentences, ranging from eight years to life imprisonment, against 20 journalists and opposition figures. (Aaron ...

Topic: Human rights
Jurisdiction: Ethiopia

President Vetoes Major Legislation (Jul. 12, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On June 25, 2012, Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya, vetoed the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendments) Bill 2012 (34 KENYA GAZETTE SUPPLEMENT (May 2, 2012)), which ...

Topic: Executive power
Jurisdiction: Kenya

ICTR Convicts Ex-Minister for Crimes Committed During 1994 Rwandan Genocide (Jun. 06, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On May 31, 2012, Trial Chamber III of the Arusha, Tanzania, based International Criminal Court for Rwanda (ICTR) (ICTR website (last visited May 31, 2012)), ...

Topic: Genocide
Jurisdiction: Rwanda

Kenya Deposit Insurance Bill Becomes Law (May. 16, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On May 9, 2012, Kenya's President, Mawi Kibaki, signed into law the Kenya Deposit Insurance Act, 2012, which provides for the establishment of a deposit insurance ...

Topic: Banks and financial institutions
Jurisdiction: Kenya

Court Orders Parliament to Review Law Threatening Access to Generic Medicine (Apr. 25, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On April 20, 2012, Kenya's High Court ordered the revision of the Anti-Counterfeit Act of 2008 on the grounds that in its current form the Act ...

Topic: Health and safety
Jurisdiction: Kenya

Proposal to Re-Introduce Presidential Term Limits (Apr. 25, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

It was reported on April 17, 2012, that a group of Members of the Parliament of Uganda, led by MP Gerald Karuhanga, are preparing to move ...

Topic: Constitutional law
Jurisdiction: Uganda

Constitutional Court Declares Five Provincial Acts Unconstitutional, Suspends Ruling Temporarily (Apr. 16, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On March 22, 2012, the Constitutional Court of South Africa unanimously declared unconstitutional five laws issued by the legislatures of five of the country's nine provinces. ...

Topic: Constitutional law
Jurisdiction: South Africa

Parliament Mulling Proposal to Legalize Abortion (Apr. 05, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On March 26, 2012, it was reported that the Rwandan Parliament is considering a draft presidential order aimed at legalizing abortion in limited circumstances, including in ...

Topic: Abortion
Jurisdiction: Rwanda

Environmental Management Act Takes Effect Four Years After Adoption (Mar. 01, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On January 18, 2012, Namibia's Minister of Environment and Tourism put into effect the Environmental Management Act (EMA), Act No. 7 of 2007. (Government ...

Topic: Environment
Jurisdiction: Namibia

Measure in Parliament to Stop Landlords from Auctioning Their Tenants' Property (Feb. 27, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

Kenya's Parliament is gearing up to begin debate on the Land Bill 2012, which, among other objectives, seeks to drastically change the landlord-tenant relationship in the ...

Topic: Property
Jurisdiction: Kenya

High Court Declares Anti-Corruption Act Provision Unconstitutional (Feb. 23, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom

On February 20, 2012, the High Court in Windhoek, Namibia found part of a provision in Namibia's Anti-Corruption Act (No. 8 of 2003, GOVERNMENT GAZETTE ...

Topic: Government ethics
Jurisdiction: Namibia

Parliament Considering Petroleum Bill (Feb. 10, 2012) by Hanibal Goitom