Called to the bench: here are the candidates

Last week, President Yoweri Museveni appointed a total of 28 new judges to fill vacant positions in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and High Court. However, the appointments are subject to parliamentary approval and the names have been forwarded to the Speaker of Parliament for vetting, which started on Tuesday. Ephraim Kasozi and Juliet Kigongo look at who the nominated judges are.

Justice Amos Twinomujuni
He is a Justice of the Court of Appeal, which serves as the Constitutional Court. He formerly worked as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) before being appointed the Director of Law Development Centre (LDC) at Makerere. It was from the same position that Justice Twinomujuni was appointed a judicial officer.

Kenneth Kakuru
He is an advocate and an environmental rights expert with vast experience in Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which he pioneered in Uganda.
He is a Director at Greenwatch, an environmental rights advocacy NGO and a senior partner with Kakuru & Co. Advocates.
Mr Kakuru is a member of a number of many professional organisations including the International Bar Association, the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide, the East African Law Society and the Uganda Law Society.
He holds a Masters’ Degree in Educational Policy Planning and Management from Kyambogo University and a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, where he is an external examiner.

Justice Solomy Balungi Bossa
She rejoins the Ugandan judicial system from Arusha, Tanzania where she was seconded to the International Tribunal for Rwanda trying genocide suspects. She joined the Tribunal in September 2003 as ad litem Judge in Trial Chamber II.
Prior to her appointment as Judge of the UNICTR, she served as Judge of the East African Court of Justice (2001-2006), and as Judge of the High Court of Uganda (1997 to date).
She is a member of a number of international and regional, human rights bodies, including the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute, the International Commission of Jurists, the International Association of Women Judges, the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights and the East African Law Society.

Duncan Gaswaga
He is a Judge of the Supreme Court in Seychelles. He was elevated to the post from a senior magistrate in 2006. He left Uganda at the level of grade one magistrate and has worked as an expatriate in the Seychelles Judiciary as a roving magistrate and senior magistrate in charge of the Rent Board Tribunal, Juvenile Court and head of all magistrates.

Lydia Mugambe,
She has been a senior magistrate for a long time.

Elizabeth Kibula Kabanda
She is a registrar of the High Court. She also served as a magistrate and chief magistrate before being elevated to the current post of registrar.

David Batema
He is a graduate of Makerere University and currently serving as the registrar of the High Court. Before being promoted to the level of High Court Registrar, Mr Batema was chief magistrate in the courts of judicature.

Justice Opio Aweri
He is a High Court Judge attached to the Land Division of the High Court. He formerly worked as Chief Magistrate at Mengo before he was appointed a judge.

Godfrey Namundi,
He is a registrar of the High Court of Uganda.

Eva Luswata Kawuma
She is partner and lawyer with Kakooza & Kawuma Advocates as well as member of the Law Council who is specialised in family, land, labour, law, mediation and human rights

David Batema
He is a graduate of Makerere University and currently serving as the registrar of the High Court. Before being promoted to the level of High Court Registrar, Mr Batema was chief magistrate in the courts of judicature.

Michael Elubu
He is a member of the technical Committee of the Judicial Service Commission.

Vincent Okwanga
He is a Senior State Attorney in the Attorney General’s Chambers, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

John Eudes Keitirima
He is a registrar of the Civil Division of the High Court. If appointed, Mr Keitirima will be the youngest judge in the High Court of Uganda. He joined the judiciary as a magistrate before being promoted the registrar.

Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire
He is the Head of the Commercial Division of the High Court. Justice Kiryabwire is chairperson of the Appeals Board of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco). The Board advises the Director-General on appeals brought by staff members against his decisions.
Justice Kiryabwire is graduate of University of London with a Masters of Laws. He also has a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from Law Development Centre and a Bachelor of Laws Makerere University.
He is an advocate of the High Court of Uganda enrolled since 1987, a Commissioner of Oaths, a Fellow of the Uganda Arbitration Association and an Associate of the Uganda Insurance Institute.