ANNUAL18th JUDGES CONFERENCE PROGRAMME Page 28 DIC JU IA E R H Y T U GAN DA Magazine Issue 04 | October - December, 2015 Transformation of the Judiciary priorities Events that Judiciary to get new Small Claims procedure led to defined 2015 Corporate Brand Identity decrease in civil case load Chief Registrar, Gadenya Paul Wolimbwa with Uganda Law Society President, Principal Judge Hon. Yorokamu Bamwine addressing the press at the Gulu Ms Ruth Sebatindira, at a recent Judiciary event in Kampala. High Court after launching the Plea Bargaining Initiative. A visiting team from Pepperdine University poses with the Principal Judge, Some of the judges who attended a validation workshop on proecedural Yorokamu Bamwine and other judicial officers in Kampala. laws on August 31, 2015. Vincent Mugabo, outgoing President of Uganda Judicial Court clerks and administrators pose at the High Court building Officers Association (UJOA), receives a plaque from the after a capacity building training on November 2, 2015. Chief Justice Bart M. Katureebe on November 2, 2015. Justice Bamwine hands a plaque Justice Paul Mugamba in recognition of his The Chief Justice (C) with some of the UJOA members at their AGM in services to Anti-Corruption Court. In the background is his successor, Justice Kampala on November 2, 2015. Lawrence Gidudu. Chief Justice Bart M. Katureebe during a meeting with the Justice Henry Adonyo Senior Judicary/JLOS members cut a cake during DANIDA-UGOGO (L), the Coordinator of the National Court Case census, and Mr Andrew Khauka, End-of-Year party at the Registry of Planing and Development in Kampala. Judiciary’s Technical Advisor and Secretary to the committee oversaw the exercise. Chief Registrar, Gadenya Paul Wolimbwa (in blue suit) with newly-enrolled Chief Justice Hon. Bart Katureebe handshakes Pope Francis during the advocates at his chambers at the High Court in Kampala. Pontiff’s visit to Uganda in November 2015. CONTENTS & Editorial New year, INSIDE... new priorities 3 | Profile: Meet our special guests We are pleased to bring to you Issue 4 of the Judiciary Insider – with more colour, improved design and richer content in 32 pages. 4 | Transformation of the Judiciary priorities – 2016 6 | Underfunding of the Judiciary weakens the rule of law – CJ As per the Editorial Board’s decision to publish the Judiciary Insider three 8 | Judiciary to get new Corporate Brand Identity months (quarterly), the Public Relations and Communications team is more than committed to do the job. We shall continue generating and Events that defined 2015 10 | present to you content from all the newsworthy events and activities 13 | Registrars, Chief Magistrates reshuffled of the Judiciary as well as the Justice, Law and Order. 14 | Chief Inspector of Courts appointed Resolutions usually characterise the beginning of a new year. Different 15 | Andrew Khaukha appointed Judiciary’s Technical Advisor individuals and institutions set targets they want to accomplish for the 16 | Pepperdine, Uganda sign Access to Justice partnership year. 18 | SCP led to decrease in civil case load The Judiciary has set a number of those and that is what the Chief 20 | Case census for effective planning and case management Justice shares partly in the transformation of Judiciary’s Priorities and in 22 | Uganda Judicial officers’ body gets new executive his end of year interview. 23 | Chief Magistrate Kobusheshe’s candle burns out Last year was a great year for the institution that saw many changes 24 | List of judicial officers as of 1st january2016 in the Judiciary and we will highlight some of those in this magazine. 28 | 18th Annual Judges Conference: Programme For the first time in Judiciary’s history, there was a physical counting of EDITORIAL TEAM case files, a feat that will inform the planning process of the institution. Solomon Muyita Snr Comms Officer/Editor In a special way, we have also carried an up-to-date list of all Judicial Sheila Wamboga Communications Officer/writer Officers as well as the programme for the 18th Annual Judges Peter Mugeni Design/Layout Conference. Deo Akugizibwe Photography We have also carried the highlights of the Annual NAWJU Dinner, the Editorial Board Small Claims Procedure roll-out, appointments and the MoU signed Lady Justice Lydia Mugambe- Ssali Judge, High Court (Chair) between Pepperdine University and Uganda. Paul Gadenya Chief Registrar (Member) Dorcas W. Okalany Sec. to the Judiciary (Member) Following our call for contributors, a few judicial officers have Eliasa Omar Kisawuzi Public Relations Officer (Member) expressed interest and we will be carrying some of their articles in our Jessica Chemeri Senior Law Reporting Officer subsequent publications. Publisher Nice reading and wishing you a Happy and Prosperous 2016! Solomon Muyita Editor / Senior Communications Officer Email: [email protected] 2 THE JUDICIARY INSIDER | October - December, 2015 DIC JU IA E R H Y Profiles T U GAN DA 18th Annual Judges’ Conference: Meet our special guests The 18th Annual Judges Conference will be held on January 19-21, 2016. The conference will be held under the theme, “Promoting the Rule of Law in Uganda through Judicial Accountability and excellence”. ccording to the Master of Hon. Bernice B. Donald Hon. Justice Mohamed Ceremonies, Paul Gadenya he Honourable Bernice B. Chande Othman Wolimbwa, the objectives TDonalds’ journey began at the Aof the conference are, “to show the University of Memphis where she extent to which Judicial practice in received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) in Uganda is accountable, examine 1979. She then embarked on a ca- the new ways the Judiciary can ap- reer marked by tireless energy and ply to entrench the rule of law in a deep commitment to public ser- Uganda, provide practical solutions vice. Donald was nominated to the on enhancing performance of and United States Circuit Court for the excellence in the Judiciary and to U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth stimulate debate among Judges on Circuit in 2010, becoming the first contemporary affairs affecting the African-American female judge to administration of justice in Uganda. hold that position. on. Justice Mohamed Chande Oth- The conference has attracted of In 1988, Donald was appointed to Hman was appointed Chief Justice of acclaimed speakers including Justice the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, becoming Tanzaniain 2010. Until his appointment, Bernice B. Donald, the first African- the first woman in the history of the Mr Justice Othman was a judge of the American woman to chair the United States to serve as a bankruptcy Court of Appeal and a senior adviser to American Bar Foundation and Justice judge. the United Nations on Human Rights in Mohamed Chande Othman, the Chief southern Sudan. As a former chief of the Justice of Tanzania among others. Judge Donald has brought her dynamic International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda leadership style to the American Bar (ICTR) Prosecutions and ex-prosecutor Foundation as Board President where of East Timor’s UN Administration, Justice she served up to 2014. Othman holds considerable international experience and exposure in the manage- In addition to her ABF position, ment of judicial affairs. Judge Donald has held numerous other positions that underscore her He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) enthusiasm for service. To name a few, from the University of Dar es Salaam and Donald served as Secretary of the a Master’s Degree in Law from Webster American Bar Association from 2008 University in Geneva, Switzerland. Justice to 2011, and was the first African- Othman has also worked in international American woman to Chair the ABA and UN agencies, including the UN Commission on Racial and Ethnic Development Programme (UNDP) and DIC JU IA E R H Y T U Diversity in the Profession (1994- the International Red Cross. GAN DA 1997). See programme of page 28 THE JUDICIARY INSIDER | October - December, 2015 3 Cover Story Transformation of the Judiciary priorities – 2016 On September 2, 2015, the Hon. Chief Justice, Bart Katureebe, shared his Transformation of the Judiciary plan with President Yoweri Museveni during the latter’s special meeting with judges at the State House in Entebbe. The CJ said the Judiciary’s purpose is “to promote the rule of law which is a critical ingredient for increased competitiveness, investment, productivity and social economic transformation of the people in Uganda”. Autonomy of the Judiciary The above performances notwithstanding, an estimated 160,000 cases (Final results overnment can only function ef- from the National Court Census expected fectively if the three organs of the mid -February, 2016) remain pending state are strong and effective. The some as old as 20 years. Due to limited GJudiciary needs institutional and financial funding, there was a scale down on criminal autonomy to play its rightful role. The pro- sessions. The courts do better with increase posed Administration of the Judiciary Bill in staff numbers, deepened use of new now before cabinet, is expected to deliver technologies and increased funding. There the goal to make the Judiciary autono- is also need for strategic investments in the mous and turn around the administration JLOS institutions, provision of working tools of justice in Uganda. The Judiciary, there- and resources, among others. fore, calls upon stakeholders in this pro- cess to give consideration to the speedy Capacity building enactment of the Bill. Training of judicial officers too should be supported especially in knowledge-based Physical Access to the competence, professional development Judiciary and in new and emerging areas of the The Judiciary is functionally present in 90 law to address the common adage that per cent of districts now up from 56 per “lawyers do not understand the laws they Chief Justice Bart M. Katureebe with President cent in 2006. There are 229 functional were not taught” Yoweri Museveni during a meeting with all judges courts/Judiciary Service Points at all of court at State House Entebbe on September 2.