KAMPALA– The Judiciary Integrity Committee on Tuesday held a meeting with the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) at their offices at Kingdom Kampala building in a bid to strengthen collaboration with the Judiciary.
The meeting centered on three key issues: promoting integrity and anti-corruption in the Judiciary, clarifying how integrity factors into promotions and disciplinary processes, and exploring ways of providing feedback to judicial officers.
Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi, Justice of the Supreme Court and Chairperson of the Judiciary Integrity Committee, emphasized that the Committee’s primary role is to sensitize judicial officers on integrity and anti-corruption. She noted
that the Committee has already engaged with agencies such as the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Inspectorate of Government, underscoring the importance of information-sharing to avoid duplication of complaints.
Lady Justice Mugenyi stressed that integrity must be rewarded and visibly factored into career progression. She expressed concern that judicial officers, particularly at the lower bench, often feel integrity “does not pay” when they are overlooked for promotions. She proposed that integrity should be specifically scored and weighted during candidate evaluations. She also voiced concerns about senior officers being bypassed for promotion in favor of their juniors, urging for clarity and fairness in
promotion in favor of their juniors, urging for clarity and fairness in the process. According to her, both integrity and productivity must be considered to ensure deserving officers are not demoralized.
Responding to these concerns, Justice Dr. Singiza Douglas Karekona, Chairperson of the JSC, reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to merit-based appointments. He explained that the JSC works by consensus and highlighted ongoing reforms, including overhauling the disciplinary system to make it faster and more efficient. He further revealed that Lady Justice Rosette Comfort Kania, Deputy Chairperson of the JSC, now heads disciplinary and complaints handling. “Our plan is to ensure that only candidates who merit, and only candidates of reasonable disposition, character, and trust, are appointed into office,” he said.
During the discussions, participants raised several key concerns. They pointed to the need for simple and transparent feedback processes to counter misinformation and avoid discouragement. They highlighted frustrations caused by supersession, where junior officers are promoted ahead of their seniors, and suggested that stagnation, particularly on the lower bench, be addressed by compiling a list of long-stagnated officers for consideration. Integrity score benchmarks were proposed to guide promotions and disciplinary evaluations, while stronger collaboration between the JSC and Judiciary, particularly through Inspectorate reports, was recommended to ensure errant officers are dealt with appropriately.
It was further proposed that JSC should be given a platform at major Judiciary events to sensitize officers on its mandate. Both institutions agreed that regular engagements are critical to ensuring integrity, transparency, and fairness in judicial administration.
The meeting was attended by members of the Judiciary Integrity Committee, including Lady Justice Irene Mulyagonja of the Court of Appeal, Justice Michael Elubu, Head of the Anti-Corruption Division, and Lady Justice Rubagumya Tumusiime Patience Emily of the Commercial Division. The others included Registrars; HW Prossy Katushabe (High Court), HW Allen Rukundo Owembabazi (Court of Appeal), and HW Moses Gabriel Angualia (Inspector of Courts), HW Jude Muwone (Assistant Registrar Magistrates Affairs and Data Management) and Mr Hirome Sulaiman (Principal Assistant Secretary).
Commissioners of the JSC present included Lady Justice Elizabeth Musoke, Mr. Jimmy Okello, Mr. Lubega Wagwa Badru, and Mr. Frank Musingwire
