On 3rd February 2023, the Judiciary Opened the New year Law at the high court grounds in Kampala. The event came as a climax of the 24th Annual Conference of Judges. The New Law Year is an annual event where the Judiciary gives an account to its stakeholders about the previous year.
At the function, the Judiciary was joined by practicing lawyers led by the Attorney General and president of the Uganda Law Society.
The prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja who represented the Chief Guest, H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni graced the event and congratulated the Judiciary for the beginning of the New Law Year.
In the President’s Speech read by the prime minister, Museveni tasked Chief Alfonse Owiny- Dollo with establishing measures for accountability and fighting corruption in order to realise the transformation agenda in the judiciary.
“Government increased the Judiciary’s budget from Sh199b to Sh381b this financial year. As a result, your salaries were enhanced so that you are able to do your work with one heart, and in order to enable you resist the temptation of corruption. I hope to hear no more cases of corruption in the judiciary,” President Museveni noted
The Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny – Dollo, gave accountability to Ugandans on how courts have performed in the previous year, the challenges and opportunities.
He shared that the judiciary performance of last year exceeded that of 2021 by handling 91,598 cases, thereby reducing the case backlog by 4,915 cases.
At the same function, he outlined what is expected to be done in the coming year to give Ugandans hope on how the administration of justice is to be done.
The Chief Justice further thanked the Government for increasing the Judiciary’s budget saying it is the reason for improved performance of the judiciary.
The Chief Justice also used the event to caution lawyers that want to use the Judiciary to deny anyone justice that they will not succeed.
Speaking at the Opening of the New Year law, the Attorney General, Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka thanked the leadership of the Judiciary for a job well done and also said that court rulings on whether the military court should try civilians plunged his chambers into confusion.
Kiwanuka, said the confusion is arising from the judgments from the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.
“I have has resorted to the rules that govern the court practice because once the court gives me a clear signal of what it expects as the answer, that is the opinion that you expect from the Attorney General’s chamber,” he said
Uganda Law Society President, Bernard Oundo voiced concern over the continued trial of civilians in military courts despite the judgments by the constitutional court.
