KAMPALA -- Following complaints from the public about the delays in the administration of cases, the Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo has launched an Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) which will help to fight case backlog and improve the delivery of justice.

Speaking during the launch of ECCMIS at High Court Kampala, Owiny-Dollo urged all the judicial officers to embrace the system for better service delivery.

READ MORE

Published: 20th October 2021

KAMPALA -- Cabinet has approved the implementation of the revised structure that will see the Judiciary become an autonomous arm of government and among others, the salaries for judges increased by about 40% whereas the Court of Appeal will extend wings to regions.

Whereas Judiciary is the third arm of government, it is currently operating as a government department.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala, Judiciary spokesperson, Jameson Karemani said the cabinet approved the implementation of the revised structure, establishment, and salaries for judicial officers.

“The Court of Appeal will be decentralized to regions. Construction (of headquarters) has already started in Gulu and Mbarara whereas Fort Portal and Mbale are also soon coming up,” Karemani said.

“We hope that if the new structure is realized, we shall have improved service delivery.”

The Court of Appeal currently sits only in Kampala and all cases for its adjudication are handled from the country’s capital to the detriment of many people.

READ MORE

Published: August 11, 2021

CIRCULAR: Revised contingency measures by the Judiciary to prevent and mitigate the spread of COVID-19

(Release date: August 3, 2021 / Issued by the Chief Justice)

DOWNLOAD (PDF)

The Judiciary has shuffled 42 judicial officers at the rank of Registrars and Magistrates. The changes affect mainly the recently appointed officers on promotion, plus a few others on transfer.

While communicating the changes on July 13, the Chief Registrar, HW Sarah Langa Siu, said that deployments and transfers were in the interest of improving the administration of justice in the various Courts. "Some of the Divisions like Land, Commercial and Family needed boosting, given the volume of work in the respective Registries," she said.

READ MORE

Published: July 14, 2021

By Timothy Lumunye

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is now a global health emergency, affecting more than a billion people worldwide. In more and more countries, normal life has effectively been suspended, as sweeping measures are introduced to control the spread of the disease by way of ‘lockdowns’, bans on social gatherings, and the closure of public facilities. These measures have also had an impact on criminal justice systems, as access to courts and prisons has come under severe restrictions. The administration of justice cannot come to a total standstill, whatever the circumstances.

It is essential that the Justice, Law and Order Sector continues to carry out essential functions, including the processing of criminal cases, and safeguarding the rights and welfare of accused persons, especially those who are on remand.

The accused persons on remand should be able to participate in criminal justice proceedings in person, and it is especially crucial that they are physically present in the courtroom during trial. This is not possible currently, because of the restrictions imposed by Uganda Prisons, in line with the standard public health guidelines.  The accused absence from the courtroom seriously undermines their ability to participate in criminal justice proceedings effectively, and the exercise of the rights of the defence.

Its high time Uganda Prisons came up with measures to enable inmates on remand attend court proceedings and prevent an unprecedented backlog of cases that could harm the effective administration of justice in the future.  This can be done in a phased manner, by opening up first, less congested Prison facilities. 

The Judiciary has taken extraordinary measures to keep criminal justice systems operational, preventing lengthy delays in criminal proceedings, and ensuring that urgent matters, such pre-trial detention hearings, are not postponed. The Judiciary does not however work in a vacuum and relies on other stakeholders in the Justice, Law and Order Sector (such as Police, Prisons, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions) for it to be effective. With these stakeholders also substantially limited by the lockdown and other COVID-19 related restrictions, court business has literally ground to a halt, in as far as access to justice for accused persons on remand is concerned. 

Timothy Lumunye is a Grade 1 Magistrate at Nateete Rubaga court

Published: 24th March 2021

KAMPALA -- The Chief Justice, Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo, who also doubles as chairperson of the JLOS Leadership Committee, on Friday presided over his meeting with heads of JLOS institutions. 

They discussed the progress of preparations for the JLOS Joint 25th Annual Government of Uganda/Development Partners Annual Review scheduled for 26th November at Mestil Hotel in Kampala.

The meeting, the first for the Chief Justice since he assumed office in August 2020, was a joint engagement with members of the JLOS Steering Committee, which is responsible for policy formulation, coordination; fundraising, external accountability and quality assurance. The JLOS Steering Committee is chaired by the Solicitor General with the Chief Registrar serving as  Alternate Chair. 

Notably present at the meeting at the Mestil Hotel meeting was the Deputy Chief Justice, Richard Buteera the Solicitor General, Francis Atoke, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Frances Abodo, the Chief Sarah Langa Siu and Permanent Secretary/Secretary to Judiciary, Mr Pius Bigirimana. 

Also present were the officers from the JLOS Secretariat headed by the Senior Technical Advisor, Rachel Odoi Musoke.

By Danielle Nalukenge / Published: 20 November 2020

KAMPALA- President Museveni has appointed Ms Sarah Langa Siu as the substantive Chief Registrar of courts of Judicature.

Her appointment is contained in Mr  Museveni's August 14 letter to the  chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Justice Benjamin Kabiito.

Mr Museveni, in the same vein, has also appointed five registrars.

The newly appointed registrars are; Ms Harriet Nalukwago Ssali, Mr Samuel Emokor, Mr Amos Kwizera, Ms Susan Kanyange and Mr Godfrey Opifeni Anguandia.

READ MORE

Published: August 24, 2020

KAMPALA - President Museveni on Thursday appointed Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo as the new Chief Justice, becoming the 13th Chief Justice since 1962 when Uganda got it's independence.

Likewise, Supreme Court Judge Richard Buteera was appointed Deputy Chief Justice. The two names have since been sent to Parliament for vetting.

Justice Owiny-Dollo has been the Acting Chief Justice since June 20 when then substantive Chief Justice Bart Katureebe retired upon clocking 70 years. 

READ MORE

Published: August 21, 2020 

KAMPALA—The Deputy Chief Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo has temporarily assumed the office of the Chief Justice pending the appointment of a substantive holder of the third arm of government.

The former Chief Justice, Bart Magunda Katureebe handed over the office peacefully on Monday morning after five years at the helm of the judiciary upon clocking the mandatory retirement age.

“I wish to take this opportunity to thank you all collectively and individually for the
cooperation and support you have rendered to me, and the Judiciary as an institution during my tenure in office. It has indeed been a great honour and privilege to work with you all,” Katureebe said in a short letter of appreciation to stakeholders

“I believe that together we have registered some achievements in the Administration of Justice in the Country. I would urge all to extend the same support to the in-coming Chief Justice,” said Justice Katureebe.

READ MORE

DOWNLOAD : Statement from the Judiciary on the Justice Katurebe's Retirement

Published: June 20, 2020

Outgoing Chief Justice Bart Katureebe got the perfect send-off when President Yoweri Museveni assented to the Administration of Judiciary Bill, 2018 to make law.

Parliament early this month passed the bill that guarantees the independence of the Judiciary as the third arm of the State under the doctrine of separation of powers and on Friday, June 19, 2020, Museveni appended signature to it to ensure it becomes law.

About the Law

The new law provides for and strengthens the independence of the Judiciary.

The Administration of Judiciary law operationalizes provisions of the Constitution relating to the Judiciary, administration of justice, improve efficiency and effectiveness of the courts, strengthen the independence of courts, and streamline their administration.

The law also creates guidelines and references for a legal and justice system by spelling out jurisdiction divisions, conditions for trials, sentencing, and court fees.

READ MORE

DOWNLOAD: Administration of Judiciary Act of 2020

Published: June 19, 2020