*By John Kusolo*
On 17th September 2024, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Judiciary, Dr. Pius Bigirimana, chaired a crucial Administration of Justice Programme Working Group meeting at the Court of Appeal Conference Hall, Judiciary Headquarters. The meeting attracted a wide range of key stakeholders, including judicial officers, policymakers, and development partners, as they gathered to evaluate the Programme’s performance and discuss the future direction of Uganda’s judicial system.
The main agenda of the meeting was to present and deliberate on the Programme Annual Performance Report for the Financial Year 2023/2024, discuss the Programme Implementation Action Plan (PIAP) for Uganda’s National Development Plan IV (NDP-IV), and review the updated Concept Note on the Construction of Court Buildings Project.
Dr. Bigirimana, in his opening remarks, lauded the collective efforts of various institutions under the Administration of Justice Programme. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a unified and collaborative approach to drive the Programme forward, with a particular focus on achieving the overarching goals of the National Development Plan IV (NDP-IV). The Permanent Secretary highlighted the Programme's significant achievement, with a 66% rating in key result areas for the FY 2023/24, as determined by the National Annual Performance Report Review, compared to the overall government performance of 33%.
While commending the Programme’s accomplishments, Dr. Bigirimana expressed concern over specific critical areas where performance was lacking, particularly delays in the resolution of commercial and land cases. He urged all institutions involved to work toward faster case disposal to contribute to Uganda’s socio-economic development, as envisaged by NDP-IV.
Alignment with NDP-IV
As Uganda prepares to embark on its NDP-IV strategy, Dr. Bigirimana called for full alignment of institutional interventions to ensure all targets are met. He acknowledged and congratulated institutions like the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Community Service), Ministry of Local Government (Local Council Courts), the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratory, and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) for successfully aligning their programs with the Administration of Justice’s goals.
Several critical presentations were made during the meeting:
Mr. Opolot Simon Peter, Head of the Policy and Planning Department at the Judiciary, presented the updated Concept Note on the Construction of Court Buildings Project. This project is pivotal to enhancing the capacity of the judiciary and addressing infrastructure challenges that hinder efficient service delivery.
Mr. Caesar Kagoro, Principal Policy Analyst at the Judiciary, provided a detailed overview of the preparation of the Programme Implementation Action Plan (PIAP) for NDP-IV.
Mr. Herbert Arinaitwe, Assistant Commissioner of Compliance Monitoring at the Directorate of Community Service, Ministry of Internal Affairs, presented the draft PIAP for NDP-IV, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts in its implementation.
Mr. Benjamin Kachero, an Economist at the Judiciary, presented the Programme Annual Performance Report 2023/2024, highlighting both successes and challenges in key result areas.
The meeting saw participation from a diverse group of stakeholders, including representatives from:
UN Development Partners such as the UN Resident Coordinator Office, UN Women, Austrian Embassy Development Cooperation, and the International Development Law Organisation.
Government entities like the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Law Development Centre, Judicial Service Commission, Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, Tax Appeals Tribunal, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Uganda Prisons Services, and the Uganda Police Force.
Academic and Legal Bodies including the National Planning Authority, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Makerere University School of Law, Uganda Law Society, and Legal Aid Service Providers Network.
Additionally, judicial officers such as HW Prossy Katushabe (Registrar, Human Resource Development and Training), Ms. Apophia N Tumwine (Commissioner, Human Resource Management), and HW Rosemary Bareebe (Registrar, High Court) were present, with HW Bareebe representing the Chief Registrar.
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Bigirimana reiterated the need for institutions to work diligently to reduce case backlogs and improve the overall judicial performance. He emphasized that the efficiency of the justice system plays a crucial role in Uganda’s socio-economic development and is a key aspect of the National Development Plan. He urged the stakeholders present to continue collaborating and aligning their interventions with national priorities to achieve long-term success in the administration of justice in Uganda.
The Administration of Justice Programme Working Group meeting was a testament to the Judiciary’s commitment to delivering quality and timely justice, while also addressing the infrastructure and operational challenges that have long affected the sector. Through the construction of new court buildings and efficient implementation of the PIAP under NDP-IV, Uganda’s judicial system is set to improve its service delivery to meet the evolving needs of its citizens.
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