Court of Appeal Justices Inspect Judiciary’s New Ugx 63 bn Premises

On Monday, justices of the Court of Appeal undertook a thorough inspection of the Judiciary’s new premises at the headquarters in Kampala to evaluate the facility’s readiness for occupation.

The seven-storey twin appellate court buildings with two basement floors for parking accommodating 226 vehicles is underway near the City Square in Kampala. This project expected to be completed soon is worth 63.9 billion shillings.

The Court of Appeal building will have 20 chambers for Justices, five Board rooms, four Court halls, three Registries and three chambers for the Registrars while the Supreme Court building  will house 12 Chambers for Justices, three Court halls, three Chambers for Registrars and three Registries amongst others.

Once finished, these modern facilities housing the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal will significantly reduce the Judiciary’s annual expenditure on renting separate buildings for these institutions.

The inspection team was led by Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, comprised esteemed justices including Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Fredrick Egonda-Ntende, Cheborion Barishaki, Hellen Abulu Obura, Kibeedi Muzamiru Mutangula, Irene Mulyagonja, Christopher Gashirabake, Eva Luswata, and Oscar Kihika.

During the tour, the justices expressed satisfaction with the progress of the construction work undertaken. Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Judiciary, Dr. Pius Bigirimana, guided the justices through the premises, showcasing various facilities including chambers, courtrooms, boardrooms, gym, and conference hall. Additionally, the justices admired the exquisite furniture and artwork adorning the courthouse.

Dr. Bigirimana explained that the construction of the structure was nearly 99.9% complete, pending only the occupation permit. He commended Eng. Dr. Christopher Ebal for overseeing the construction project and acknowledged Seyani Brothers and Co. (U) Ltd for their role in construction, with interior design by Fab House Ltd.

Furthermore, the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Judiciary encouraged the justices to utilize the facilities to their fullest potential, particularly mentioning the health club equipped with a gym, steam bath, sauna, and massage parlour.

Joining the inspection were other dignitaries including HW Rukundo Allen Owembabazi (Ag. Registrar Court of Appeal), Private Legal Secretary to the DCJ Dr. Mushabe Alex Karocho Mushabe, Deputy Registrars HW Lillian Bucyana and HW Anyala Susanne Okeny, as well as Personal Assistant to the DCJ HW Gakyaro Allan.

The Judiciary is currently undertaking the construction of eight new courts in various regions of the country in 2024. Construction on seven courts at different levels commenced from 2019, including the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal buildings in Kampala, which are scheduled to be operational this year.

The ongoing construction projects include Soroti High Court, Rukungiri High Court, Aletebong Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lyantonde Chief Magistrate’s Court, Budaka Chief Magistrate’s Court, Abim Chief Magistrate’s Court, Karenga Chief Magistrate’s Court, and Patongo Chief Magistrate’s Court. Additionally, renovations are being carried out on several courts, such as Chief Magistrate’s Courts in Soroti, Mubende, Tororo, Kalongo, and Nakawa.

It is estimated that this move will save approximately 9.7 billion shillings annually spent on renting.