By Evarist Baimu Nyaga Mawalla - Home

It is settled in our constitutional law that in matters which concernthe public at large the Attorney General is the guardian of public interest.Although he is a member of the government of the day, it is his duty torepresent the public interest with complete objectivity and detachment. Hemust act independently of any external pressure from whatever quarter itmay come. As the guardian of the public interest, the Attorney – Generalhas a special duty in regard to the enforcement of the law.His duty has been thus stated by members of this court who, eachin his turn, had held the office of Attorney – General. In 1879 in Attorney– General v. Great Easter Railway Co. (1870) 11 Ch D449 at 500Baggalay L.J said:It is the interest of the public that the law should in all respects berespected and observed, and if the law is transgressed or threatened to betransgressed …it is the duty of the Attorney- General to take the necessarytreps to enforce it, nor does it make any difference whether he sues exofficio, at the instance of relators.In 1924 Sir Ernest Pollock MR repeated those very words with approval: see Attorney –General V West minister City Council (1924)All ER Rep 162 at 165. To these I would add the words of Lord Abinger CB who hadhimself been Attorney – General in Deare V. Attorney – General (1835) IX & C Ex 197at 208:It has been the practice, which I hope never will bediscontinued, for the officers of the Crown to throw no difficulty in theway of any proceeding for the purpose of bringing matters before a courtof justice, where any real point of difficulty that requires judicial decisionhas occurred”In Gouriet’s case supra, LORD WILBEREFORCE analysed the common law principle atgreat length. In the course of his judgment,“It can be properly said to be a fundamental principle of English law that private rightscan be asserted by individuals, but that public rights can only be asserted by the Attorney-General as representing the public.In terms of constitutional law, the rights of the public are vested in the Crown, and theAttorney – General enforces them a an officer of the Crown, and just as the Attorney –General has in general no power to interfere with the assertion of private rights, so ingeneral no private person has the right of representing the public in the assertion of publicrights. If he tries to do so his action can be struck our. “(the emphasis is supplied)And at p. 83 b – c, his Lordship said:189