Only 28 judges man High Court
Jun 04, 2007
THE Judiciary has recommended the appointment of 19 additional judges to solve the shortage at the High Court. Uganda currently has only 28 judges presiding over thousands of cases.
By Mary Karugaba
THE Judiciary has recommended the appointment of 19 additional judges to solve the shortage at the High Court. Uganda currently has only 28 judges presiding over thousands of cases.
The Secretary to the Judiciary, Ralph Ochan, told MPs on the public accounts committee yesterday that the shortage has created a huge backlog of case.
He said out of the 50 recommended High Court judges, the country only has 33. “Even out of the 33, five have taken up other international responsibilities creating even a bigger problem.â€
He was referring to Justices Solome Bbosa and Julia Ssebutinde who are both at the International Criminal Court, Justice Faith Mwondha, of the Inspector General of Government, and Justice Peter Onega who was moved to the Amnesty Commission.
“We have made a provision in the next budget to cater for more judges. However the power to appoint is with the President,†Ochan said.
Ochan said the Public Service Commission had already given the appointments a go-ahead.
He added that there were proposals to shift some of the defilement cases, which make up about 50% of the all the High Court cases, to the magistrates courts.
However, the committee chaired by Nandala Mafabi proposed that the five judges on international duty be replaced immediately.
The MPs argued that it was unfair for the Judiciary to keep their posts vacant for several years, yet there was a huge backlog. “The judges should be replaced immediately. Why should the Government keep their jobs yet they are already working elsewhere? asked Mafabi.
Ochan said it was impossible to replace them since the rules did not provide for that.
“Their absence has created a big gap in the Judiciary but they are working for the country and the international community and the Government seconded them.†“The public service guidelines say that if they are on unpaid leave and are filling Uganda’s quota on international or regional bodies, they cannot be replaced,†he clarified.
THE Judiciary has recommended the appointment of 19 additional judges to solve the shortage at the High Court. Uganda currently has only 28 judges presiding over thousands of cases.
The Secretary to the Judiciary, Ralph Ochan, told MPs on the public accounts committee yesterday that the shortage has created a huge backlog of case.
He said out of the 50 recommended High Court judges, the country only has 33. “Even out of the 33, five have taken up other international responsibilities creating even a bigger problem.â€
He was referring to Justices Solome Bbosa and Julia Ssebutinde who are both at the International Criminal Court, Justice Faith Mwondha, of the Inspector General of Government, and Justice Peter Onega who was moved to the Amnesty Commission.
“We have made a provision in the next budget to cater for more judges. However the power to appoint is with the President,†Ochan said.
Ochan said the Public Service Commission had already given the appointments a go-ahead.
He added that there were proposals to shift some of the defilement cases, which make up about 50% of the all the High Court cases, to the magistrates courts.
However, the committee chaired by Nandala Mafabi proposed that the five judges on international duty be replaced immediately.
The MPs argued that it was unfair for the Judiciary to keep their posts vacant for several years, yet there was a huge backlog. “The judges should be replaced immediately. Why should the Government keep their jobs yet they are already working elsewhere? asked Mafabi.
Ochan said it was impossible to replace them since the rules did not provide for that.
“Their absence has created a big gap in the Judiciary but they are working for the country and the international community and the Government seconded them.†“The public service guidelines say that if they are on unpaid leave and are filling Uganda’s quota on international or regional bodies, they cannot be replaced,†he clarified.