Who are the new High Court judges?

Profiles. Following the recent appointment of six High Court judges by President Museveni, the judges, here profiled by Daily Monitor’s Anthony Wesaka are to appear before the Appointments Committee of Parliament this morning for vetting as mandated by the Constitution.

Margaret mutonyi, 50

She is the designated the High Court Judge. Born in 1964 in Mbale District, Ms Mutonyi was at the time of her appointment, the Inspector of Courts/Acting High Court Registrar.
Ms Mutonyi, a mother of four, completed her primary education in 1977 from Nyondo Demonstration School in Mbale District.

She then joined Bubulo Girls and Tororo Girls School for her O and A-levels respectively.
Between 1984 and 1987, she pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Laws from Makerere University and later went to LDC.

She began her career as lawyer in private legal practice from Mbale in 1989 until 1995. She was also the legal officer for the defunct Cooperative Bank.

In 1995, she worked as Grade One Magistrate in Jinja and was thereafter transferred to Masindi. In 1999, she was elevated to the position of Chief Magistrate and worked at Tororo, Nakawa, Mengo and Iganga courts 10 years.

In 2009, she was again elevated to the position of Deputy Registrar of the Courts of Judicature and worked at Masindi High Court and Family Division of the High Court. In May 2013, she was appointed the Acting Registrar/ Inspector of Courts, a position she held until her appointment as High Court Judge.

Ms Mutonyi has also done courses in Human Rights and Refugees Law from Makerere University and International Human Rights law, Basic Skills Management from Carl Bro International, Copenhagen, Denmark.

She also acquired a Diploma in Law and Justice, Democracy, from Copenhagen, Denmark in 1996.
Ms Mutonyi, a born again Christian, is the in-charge of Prison and Women Ministries Jubilee Christian Life Church, Bweyogerere. She also writes books.

---------------------------------------------------------

Jessica Ayebazibwe, 49

The designated High Court Judge was born in 1965. Ms Ayebazibwe was at the time of her appointment a judge of the High Court and the legal officer of National Environment Management Authority since 2007.

The mother of three began her legal career in 1992 as a legal assistant with Bazire D’bango and Co. Advocates. In that same year, she joined Uganda Revenue Authority and worked as the revenue officer for about 10 years. Thereafter, she was the chairperson of the Southwestern Uganda covering the districts of Mbarara, Bushenyi and Ntungamo.

At the same period, she also taught Commercial and Administrative law at Mbarara University of Science and Technology.

She is a graduate of law from Makerere University and also holds a post graduate diploma in legal practice from LDC.

---------------------------------------------------------

Lillian Tumusiime Mugisha Linda, 45

She is the designated Judge of the yet to be revived Industrial Court
Born on April 25, 1969, the 45-year old was at the time of her appointment, the Director Legal Service, at the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President.
She went to Lake Victoria Primary School in Entebbe before joining Trinity College Nabbingo for the rest of her secondary education.

Ms Tumusiime who hails from Kisoro District, then joined Makerere University and pursued a Bachelor of Laws before joining the Law Development Centre for her post graduate diploma in legal practice and completed in 1994.

The mother of five began her career in 1995 when she joined FIDA as a legal officer.
Five years later, she joined the Directorate for Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the President as deputy director, legal services.

Ms Tumusiime held the same position for five years and in 2005, she was elevated to the position of full director under the same department.

In 2006, she acquired a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Administration and Management alongside a certificate in Anti-corruption Studies from Hong Kong.

In 2009, she started pursuing a master degree in Development Studies from International Institute of Social Studies Erasmus at The Hague, Netherlands.

She is currently pursuing another masters Degree in Business Administration from Esaami.
In her free time, Ms Tumusiime enjoys farming, plays golf and listens to gospel and classical music.

---------------------------------------------------------

David Matovu, 48

He is a designated High Court judge. Born on April 21 1966, the 48-year-old David Matovu was at the time of his appointment, the managing partner with Kiyemba and Matovu Co. Advocates.

He is an old boy of Mwiri Primary School in Jinja where he sat his PLE. For his O-Level education, he went to Namasagali College before joining Kyambogo College for his A-Level education.

In 1987, he joined Makerere University where he pursued a Bachelor’s degree in laws and obtained a second upper before joining LDC.
The father of four, began his legal career in 1992 as an advocate with Mukasa and Co. Advocates.

Three years later, Mr Matovu joined the Uganda Development Bank as a legal officer.
In 1998, he joined a law firm - Mukiibi, Ssemakula and Kiyemba Mutale Co Advocates. In due course, most of the managing partners left the practice.

This exodus left Mr Matovu the only lawyer in the law firm and in 2004; the law firm changed the name to Ssemakula, Kiyemba and Matovu Co. Advocates and he became one of the managing partners.

Later in 2012, the firm name was again changed to Kiyemba and Matovu Co. Advocates where he has been a managing partner till his appointment as a High Court judge recently.
In his free time, Mr Matovu exercises a lot in health clubs. He is also involved in church activities, especially in the Father’s Union.

---------------------------------------------------------

Asaph Ntengye Ruhinda, 57

He is the designate Chief Judge of the yet to be revived Industrial Court.
Born on February 1957, Mr Asaph was at the time of his appointment, the Acting Chief Registrar of the Courts of Judicature.

The father of five children began his education at Kinoni Primary School and completed it in 1973. He then joined St Leo’s College where he sat for A-level in 1977, and Caltec Academy for his A-Level education.

He then joined Makerere University for a Bachelor of Laws before joining the Law Development Centre (LDC) in 1986.

He holds a certificate in Case Management from Reno University in Nevada, USA, in 1996, a diploma in managerial problems in courts from Copenhagen Business School, Denmark, in 2001 and a certificate in Management Strategies from Ripa International, London, in 2001.

Others are; certificate in Policy Development from Strategic Development International in Mbababe, Swaziland, in 2013 and certificate in Judicial, Court and Case Management from International Law Institute in Washington DC.

Mr Asaph taught at Uganda College of Commerce, Nakawa, from 1986 to 1987.
In 1988, he was appointed a Grade One Magistrate and posted to Mbarara Court where he spent a year. Mr Asaph was later promoted to the position of Chief Magistrate and served at Bushenyi, Kabale, Fort Portal and then Buganda Road courts before being elevated to the position of Deputy Registrar of Courts of Judicature in 1999.

For the following 10 years, he worked as a Deputy Registrar of Mbarara High Court twice, Commercial Division of the High Court and Fort Portal High Court.

In 2008, he was again elevated to the position of full Registrar of the Courts of Judicature and worked at Court of Appeal, High Court in Kampala until June 2013 when he was appointed the Acting Chief Registrar, a position he held until his appointment as the Chief Judge of the Industrial Court.

Outside judicial work, Mr Asaph is a member of Rotary Club of Kampala North, Uganda Judicial Officers Association and the East African Magistrates and Judges Association.

---------------------------------------------------------

Patricia Basaza Wasswa, 44

She is a designated High Court Judge.
Born on March 6, 1970, in Kisoro District, Ms Basaza was at the time of her appointment the managing partner of Basaza Wasswa and Co. Advocates.

She went to Lake Victoria Primary School in Entebbe and later joined Trinity College Nabbingo for her secondary education between 1983 and 1989. She then joined Makerere University for a Bachelor of Laws and graduated in 1992 before joining the LDC the following year and graduating in 1993.

She has a master degree in Business administration
She joined private legal practice as a lawyer with Kalenge, Bwanika Co. Advocates until 1998 when she began her own law firm; Basaza Wasswa and Co. Advocates.

Ms Wasswa also worked as a lecturer at LDC between 1999 and 2009.
During her free time, Ms Basaza enjoys reading books and newspapers. She is a Rotarian and a member of mothers union of All Saints Church Nakasero in Kampala.