In a significant step towards rejuvenating the judiciary, new acting High Court judges recently appointed by President Yoweri Museveni have been sworn in.
The event witnessed by the President was held at State House Entebbe where the youthful judges took their oaths of office and secrecy.
Addressing the new judges the president emphasized the significance of the opportunity before them. He cautioned against succumbing to temptations and shortcuts, emphasizing the enduring value of integrity and truth in their profession.
Expressing his congratulations, president Museveni praised the new appointees for their entry into the esteemed roles of High Court Judges. He expressed optimism that this development will go a long way in fighting case backlog across the country in addition to bringing people closer to justice.
The President observed that the since the judicial officers are still young and vibrant, they will act effectively in their office to reduce case backlog.
“I am happy to watch young people coming up to take these positions. When I had just started doing this work, we used to swear in people far older than me. With these young people, our target now is to get enough man power to cover the geography of the country such that one doesn’t need to go very far to get justice.” he said
Museveni however cautioned the lot to disregard acts of corruption and deceit while performing their duties. He said the future holds immense potential for the young judges, and it’s imperative that they capitalize on it wisely, noting that deceit, dishonesty, and shortcuts could have dire consequences, particularly in the realm of justice.
“This is a very good opportunity for these new judges and they should not squander it. The future is right in front of them. They shouldn’t be tempted to take short cuts, it’s not worth it. They will be rewarded by sticking to the truth. Deceit, dishonesty, shortcuts especially in this kind of work is very destructive: I have been here long enough to witness it. They should not ‘kutokooza’ their lives and future. ”
The judges include Jameson Karemani, Flavia Nabakooza, Phillip Willebrord Mwaka, Christine Akello Echookit, Amos Kwizera, David Makumbi, Samson Lwokya, Rosette Comfort Kania. The others are Patience Emily Tumusiime, Farouq Lubega, Jacqueline Mwondha, and Aisha Naluzze Batala.
Their appointment brings the number of High Court judges to 81 and this comes after the Parliament’s approval of an expanded staffing structure for High Court judges from the current 83 to 151 judges. With the new appointments, the staffing gap for judges remains at 70.
The swearing-in ceremony signaled a shift towards a more accessible and equitable justice system. The Judges have the task to minimize absenteeism and case backlog that stands at about 45000 cases.
The latest statistics indicate marked progress in the judiciary’s performance, with the Financial Year 2021/2022 witnessing the disposal of 205,967 cases out of a total caseload of 373,974—a significant leap from the previous year’s 156,875 cases out of 317,929 disposed of in the Financial Year 2020/2021.
As these youthful judges embark on their judicial journey, the nation keenly watches, nurtures hopeful expectations, and anticipates a trajectory characterized by integrity and excellence in the relentless pursuit of justice.