President Yoweri Museveni Tuesday sworn in 15 new judges at State House Entebbe after Parliament’s Appointments Committee vetted and approved their appointment.
Key among them is current Inspector General of Government (IGG), Lady Justice Irene Mulyagonja (pictured), who will be a judge in the Court of Appeal. Her contract at the Inspectorate ends early next year.
In October 2019, President Museveni appointed Mulyagonja alongside two others; Lawyer Muzamiru Kibeedi and Monica Mugyenyi Kalyegira (current Principal Judge of the East African Court of Justice based in Tanzania) to the Court of Appeal.
In his letter announcing the appointments to Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, Museveni also appointed 12 new judges to High Court including the Inspector of Courts, Immaculate Busingye Byaruhanga, Vincent Mugabo, Registrars Phillip Odoki and Ester Nambayo, Jesse Byaruhanga Rugyema, Isah Sserunkuma, Isaac Muwata, Jeanne Rwakakoko and Susan Abinyo. Most of the new judges are who registrars in various courts.
Jane Okuo Kajuga, Spokesperson Office of Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Boniface Wamala, Personal Assistant to Chief Justice Bart Katureebe and Victoria Katamba Nakintu Nkwanga were also on the list.
The12 High Court judges bring the total number of judges to 62 although the plan by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs is to have 82 judges to deal with the rising backlog of cases in courts.
The Judiciary has on several times decried shortages of judges as a leading cause of case backlog across Uganda.
