Museveni tells new judges to respect rights of Ugandans

The President made the remarks yesterday at State House Entebbe where he presided over the swearing-in ceremony of 18 newly-appointed judges of the High Court as well as the new head of the commercial court and the head of the High court.

President Museveni has asked judges to respect the constitutional rights of Ugandans.

The President made the remarks yesterday at State House Entebbe where he presided over the swearing-in ceremony of 18 newly-appointed judges of the High Court as well as the new head of the commercial court and the head of the High court.

Mr Museveni said the historical justice of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has been largely a pro-people concept that is linked with the African tribal way which never compromised on justice and appealed to the judiciary in the country never in any situation relent or compromise when administering justice to Ugandans.

He said there should be full accountability for all offenders, especially the capital offenders, if the judicial system in the country is to serve its purpose and be of use to the people.

“ The rights of our people are supreme and can never be compromised and full accountability must be there, especially the capital offenders,” Mr Museveni said.

He added: “The concept of bail for capital offenders was causing us problems because the security forces and the population were getting agitated as courts were releasing well known and seasoned capital offenders”.

The President said because of some actions of the judicial officers, some members of the public had started taking the law in their hands through mob action.

He said sometimes the security forces were forced to re-arrest known capital offenders that have been granted bail, which portrays Uganda as a country that does not respect the rule of law.

He said the NRM has a history of promoting justice right from the bush days.

“That’s why the two National Resistance Army (NRA) fighters who killed civilians during the bush war were tried and faced public execution,” he said.

The sworn-in judges include; Ms Mary Ikit, Mr Douglas Singiza Karekona, Ms Susan Kanyange, Mr Samuel Emokor, Ms Flavia Matovu Nassuna, Ms Patricia Kahingi Asiimwe, Mr Bernard Namanya, and Mr Thomas Ocaya Ojele Rubanga.

Others are Ms Grace Harriet Magala, Mr Collins Acellam, Mr Allan Paul Nshimye Mbabazi, Ms Patricia Mutesi, Ms Christine Kaahwa, Mr George Okello, Ms Celia Nagawa, and Ms Faridah Shamilah Bukirwa.

The Chief Judge of Industrial Court, Linda Tumusiime Mugisha and her deputy Wabwire Musaana were also sworn in, bringing the number to 18.

Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo in his remarks read out for him by deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, informed the President that the Judiciary has in a record time, disposed of all the election petitions at both High Court and Court of Appeal.

“Election petitions and applications in parliamentary elections used to stay in our court system for over five years. This is now history. Election petitions for the 2021 election cycle were heard and concluded by the High Court in time. 162 appeals were filed in the Court of Appeal heard and disposed of all those appeals within a period of four months,” the CJ said.

The Chief Justice cautioned the new judges to desist corruption tendencies and make upright court decisions.

“I call upon you to always serve with utmost humility and integrity and make upright decisions without fear or favour, malice, compassion, affection discrimination or ill-will. In essence, uphold the judicial oath that you have just taken,” he said.

He called for increased funding to the Judiciary department so as to recruit more judicial officers and reduce the case backlog in the justice department.

Justice Buteera said there is need to recruit and deploy more judges in the commercial court and lands division, adding that because of lack of enough judges, more than Shs7 trillion is locked in the commercial court while many cases are pending in the lands department.

On the need to enhance the budget of the Judiciary, the President said although it’s justifiable, Ugandans must know that the NRM inherited a failed state with no revenue but as the economy got better, the funding of the Judiciary like any other arms of government was enhanced and will continue to be enhanced.

He welcomed the new Judiciary interventions to reduce the case backlog through arbitration, mediation and pre-bargain.

Justice minister Norbert Mao commended the President for ensuring religious, regional and gender balance in his appointments.

He said he would work with the rest of the Cabinet to ensure that the working conditions are improved and appealed to the new judges to ensure impartiality and fairness in delivering justice.

The swearing-in ceremony comes at the time when Makerere University law don Kabumba Busingye and lawyer Andrew Karamagi had in June, challenged the appointment of the said judges in acting capacity for the next two years on grounds that it is unconstitutional as the same method is not provided for in the law.

List of judges

1. Justice Ikit Mary

2. Justice Singiza Karekona Douglas

3. Justice Matovu Nassuna Flavia

4. Justice Samuel Emokor

5. Justice Susan Kanyange

6. Justice Namanya Bernard

7. Justice Patricia Kahigi Asiimwe

8. Justice Ocaya Thomas Ojele Rubanga

9. Justice Christine Kaahwa

10. Justice Patricia Muteesi

11. Justice Okello George