MP Mwijukye takes swipe at Katureebe over delayed judgment on age-limit petition

The Buhweju county Member of Parliament Francis Mwijukye on Monday took a swipe at the Chief Justice of Uganda, Hon Bart Katureebe over the judiciary’s failure to deliver judgment on the presidential age-limit case.

Mr Mwijukye, the only MP in Greater Bushenyi Sub Region who attended the regional court open day held at Bushenyi District headquarters, said that the judiciary headed by the Chief Justice has delayed to give its verdict on the presidential age limit petition which is why Ugandans have lost trust in the justice sector.

The constitutional court has not delivered the verdict within the two months deadline in which it was expected to deliver judgment.
The legislator told the Chief Justice that the delay of justice in the presidential age-limit case has raised suspicion across the country.

“Lord Chief justice, it is you who said that justice delayed is justice denied and I think we have delayed justice most times by delaying justice. Just the other day, I saw people complaining because of the Mbale (age-limit) case. It has taken long. We expected may be a maximum of two months. May be you know these things more than we do but when it takes long, then suspicions develop,” Mr Mwijukye said, adding that, “May be something is being cooked somewhere. So please, we are waiting, we know you are going to do professional work. We are waiting with keen interest because it is something that the public is also interested in.”

Amidst cheers from the gathering, Mr Mwijukye added that just like security, justice has also become a matter of the rich whereby in most areas, the poor find it difficult to get justice, something that government and stakeholders, judicial officers should take serious.
“I have spent about 75 percent of my life fighting for justice and fairness in society and therefore wherever there is cause for justice I am always available. It is one of the challenges we have in Africa and society most especially the poor. As we dispense justice, we must avoid preferential treatment of the rich at the expense of the majority poor,” he said.

He, however, thanked some judicial officials for doing professional work amidst temptations and limited facilitation. On this note, Mwijukye faulted parliament for refusing to pay attention to the challenges faced by the judiciary.
“MPs have concentrated on increasing their own salaries and have forgotten about us,” he spoke out.

He also hailed Katureebe for being professional and doing his work without fear or favor.

Katureebe responds
In response, Chief Justice Katureebe explained that the age-limit petition judgment has delayed because of the long processes taken unlike in some cases where only one judge hears, writes, and reads judgment.
“When it is a different case and you are one judge working on it, it is easy delivering judgment because one person hears, writes and reads judgment and he has finished. Unlike in the court of appeal where there are more than five judges who must all work together to deliver judgment,” said Katureebe.

He also challenged political leaders to help people access justice in courts of law instead of buying them beer during elections. He warned the general public against selling what they have to buy justice which is a risky way adding that everyone is free to seek justice without paying.

The principal judge, Hon Yorokamu Bamwine decried the way the poor and vulnerable are finding it hard to get justice saying it is very dangerous and the burden must get a long-lasting solution. He tasked the districts to provide land where judicial services can be housed and the judiciary will do its part.

The court open day was aimed at having the residents and stakeholders plus the judiciary take stock of the successes, challenges in the judiciary for effective service delivery according to the Bushenyi District Chief Magistrate Moses Gabriel Angualia.