President Museveni is expected to open a week-long commonwealth magistrates and Judges Association Conference in Kampala. The conference starts on Monday. The Republic of Uganda is now the fourth African country to host this conference. Other African countries are Zimbabwe (1994), South Africa (1997) and Malawi (2003).

According to the Uganda government, over 300 delegates have registered to attend this year’s Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association Conference.

The Deputy Judicial Public Relations Officer, Araali Muhiirwa says that the conference will draw participants from the 54 Commonwealth countries. Internal Affairs Minister Hilary Onek says that Uganda is ready to hold the conference.

The First batch of the delegates from England, Canada and Austria is expected to arrive in Uganda on Sunday. The patroness of the commonwealth magistrates and Judges Association is the Queen of England Elizabeth II. The commonwealth magistrates and Judges Association conference is held every three years where the issues of constitutionalism, the rule of law, independence of judiciary and good governance are discussed. The last commonwealth magistrates and Judges Association conference was held in Turks and Caicos in 2009.

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Grade II magistrates have been interdicted over their alleged professional misconduct according to sources in the judiciary. Some of the magistrates who have seen the axe include Karakire Kabaya, Okitwi Odutu and A.C Turyomurgyendo.

The Judiciary also in a bid to curb corruption in its offices and try to improve its service delivery has transferred over 80 magistrates. The spokesperson of the judiciary Erias Kisawuzi confirmed the development and said that the transfers take immediate effect.

Kisawuzi says that the transfers were necessary because most of the magistrates had stayed at their respective duty stations for more than two years. Uganda judicial system doesn’t allow magistrates to stay at a station for more than two years.

Kisawuzi identifies some of the magistrates who has been transferred as Maxensia Namagembe (Makindye Court ) who was transferred to Kagoma in Jinja, Charles Kadisi (Mukono) to Kasambya in Kabale and David Kunikina from Bududa to Manafa in Mbale.

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The members of the legal fraternity in partnership with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and the Democratic Governance Facility were part of the people who marked the pro bono day. Henry Adonyo reminded the magistrates, lawyers and judges to ensure that marginalized persons access justice.

Pro bono day is cerebrated voluntarily and without payment to judges and lawyers. On this day the members of legal fraternity mix up with people who are unable to enjoy heir rights by virtue of their circumstances, gender, age, location and voicelessness.

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This follows demands by mps to the president asking him to immediately appoint commissioners in the judicial service commission who can help to recruit judges in the courts.

After a long period of this demand, the president has responded to this demand and appointed more seven commissioners to be approved by parliament and constitute the judicial service commission.

The judicial service commission has in the past not been fully constituted following retirement of many of its members creating vacuums in the recruitment of magistrates and judges in the courts of this country.

Ogoola who has been approved this morning by the appointments committee of parliament today promised to immediately embark on the recruitment of new judges and magistrates in the country so that cases in courts of law can be disposed off immediately as a way of ensuring justice in the country.

Ogoola after being approved told the press that he will make sure that only suitable judges who can deliver justice to Ugandans are recruited into this sector so that justice can increase in the country.

The judicial service commission constitutes eight commissioners but in the past it has had only one commissioner something which has made its operations very difficult. However the president has appointed all the other seven commissioners to constitute the commission headed by James Ogoola, and deputized by the lady justice Esther Kisakye.

By Isaac Senabulya

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