Article 257: Meaning of Key Words in Uganda's Constitution

257. Interpretation .

(1)In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires—

(a)“Act of Parliament” means a law made by Parliament;

(b)“Article” means an Article of this Constitution;

(c)“child” means a person under the age of eighteen years;

(d)“court” means a court of judicature established by or under the authority of this Constitution;

(e)“Court of Appeal” means the Court of Appeal of Uganda;

(f)“district” means a district referred to in Article 5 of this Constitution;

(g)“district council” means a district council established under Article 180 of this Constitution;

(h)“education service” means any part of the public service established as the education service by Parliament by law in conformity with this Constitution;

(i)“financial year” means the period of twelve months ending on the thirtieth day of June in any year or such other day as Parliament may by law prescribe;

(j)“functions” includes powers and duties;

(k)“Gazette” means The Uganda Gazette and includes any supplement of that Gazette;

(l)“Government” means the Government of Uganda;

(m)“health service” means any part of the public service established as the health service by Parliament by law in conformity with this Constitution;

(n)“High Court” means the High Court of Uganda;

(o)“judgment” includes a decision, an order or decree of the court;

(p)“judicial power” means the power to dispense justice among persons and between persons and the State under the laws of Uganda;

(q)“Leadership Code of Conduct” means the Leadership Code of Conduct established under Chapter Fourteen of this Constitution;

(r)“local government council” means a council referred to in Article 180 of this Constitution;

(s)“Minister” means a Minister of the Government and includes a Minister of State and a Deputy Minister;

(t)“oath of allegiance” means an oath of allegiance prescribed by this Constitution;

(u)“Parliament” means the Parliament of Uganda;

(v)“President” means the President of Uganda;

(w)“public office” means an office in the public service;

(x)“public officer” means a person holding or acting in any public office;

(y)“public service” means service in a civil capacity of the Government or of a local government;

(z)“session” means a series of meetings of Parliament within a period of twelve months;

(aa)“sitting” includes a period during which Parliament is continuously sitting without adjournment and a period during which it is in committee;

(bb)“Speaker” means the Speaker of Parliament and “Deputy Speaker” shall be construed accordingly;

(cc)“subordinate court” means a court subordinate to the High Court;

(dd)“Supreme Court” means the Supreme Court of Uganda;

(ee)“Uganda” means the Republic of Uganda.

(2)In this Constitution—

(a)unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to an office in the public service includes—

(i)a reference to the office of Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice, Principal Judge, a justice of the Supreme Court or a justice of Appeal, or a judge of the High Court and the office of a member of any other court of law established by or under the authority of this Constitution, other than a court-martial, being an office the emoluments of which are paid directly from the Consolidated Fund or directly out of monies provided by Parliament; and

(ii)a reference to the office of a member of the Uganda Police Force, the Uganda Prisons Service, the education service and the health service;

(b)a reference to an office in the public service does not include a reference to the office of the President, the Vice President, the Speaker or Deputy Speaker, a Minister, the Attorney General, a member of Parliament or a member of any commission, authority, council or committee established by this Constitution.

(3)In this Constitution unless the context otherwise requires, a reference to the holder of an office by the term designating that office includes a reference to any person for the time being lawfully acting in or performing the functions of that office.

(4)For the purposes of this Constitution, a person shall not be considered as holding a public office by reason only of the fact that that person is in receipt of a pension or similar allowance in respect of service under the Government.

(5)The power to remove a public officer from office includes the power to require or permit that officer to retire from public service; except that nothing in this clause confers on any person or authority power to require the retirement of a person holding a public office for which the method of retirement or removal is specifically provided for by this Constitution.

(6)Any provision in this Constitution that vests in any person or authority power to remove a public officer from office shall not prejudice the power of any person or authority to abolish any office or any law providing for the compulsory retirement of public officers generally or any class of public officer on attaining an age specified in that law.

(7)Where power is vested by this Constitution in any person or authority to appoint any person to act in or perform the functions of any office if the holder of the office is unable to perform those functions, no such appointment shall be called in question on the ground that the holder of the office was able to perform those functions.

(8)Where any power is conferred by this Constitution to make any statutory instrument or rule, or pass any resolution, or give any direction, the power shall be construed as including the power, exercisable in like manner, to amend or revoke any such statutory instrument, rule, resolution or direction.

(9)In this Constitution, references to the amendment of any of the provisions of this Constitution or any Act of Parliament include references to the alteration, modification or re-enactment, with or without amendment or modification of that provision, the suspension or repeal of that provision and the making of a different provision in place of that provision.

(10)In this Constitution, unless the context otherwise requires—

(a)words referring to natural persons include a reference to corporations;

(b)words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular;

(c)words directing or empowering a public officer to do any act or thing, or otherwise applying to that officer by the designation of the office of that person, include the successors in office and all deputies and other assistants of that person.

Summary

The Constitution contains a set of definitions that help you understand the exact meaning of key words used throughout the document. For example, a 'c...

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