New report names best performing judges

At least 14 judges and magistrates have been named best performers of 2020 in a new report released in Kampala yesterday.

The new report dubbed: “The Uganda Judiciary scorecard of 2020”, assessed the performance of judicial officers based on six parameters from key justice stakeholders like the Judiciary, legal professionals and a section of court users.

The report was released by Centre for Public Interest Law (CEPIL), a non-partisan organisation promoting good governance and democratic principles in the country.

From the Supreme Court, justices Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza, Paul Mugamba and Stella Arach Amoko, emerged the best performers.

“Based on the number and quality of judgments, Justice Tibatemwa’s judgments were properly articulated in terms of law and precedent and several of these judgment are of great jurisprudence value,” the report reads in part.

Justices Fredrick Engonda, Geoffrey Kiryabwire and Kenneth Kakuru, were named the best performers in the Court of Appeal/ Constitutional Court.

According to the report, Justice Ntende was named the best performer at the Court of Appeal for having written properly articulated judgments in terms of law with several of these judgments being of great prudence.

Meanwhile Justice Kakuru was recognised for his judgments being reportable and of great jurisprudence value, his firm and grasp of constitutional law and history.

High Court judges Musa Ssekaana (head of Civil Division), Lydia Mugambe (Family Division), Paul Gadenya (Criminal Division), Olive Kazaarwe (formally at Lands Division but now at Family), Jane Okuo (Anti-Corruption Division) and Alexandra Nkonge (Land Division) outshone the others.

“In particular, Justice Ssekaana is commended for his studious approach to judgement writing  and his expeditious manner in which he concludes cases.” the report adds.

Mr George Watyekere (Chief Magistrate- Soroti), Ms Susan Adong (Chief Magistrate) and Mr Paul Kedi (Chief Magistrate-Arua), emerged the best performers from the magistrates courts.

CEPIL’s research assistant, Rogers Twesigye, explained that they relied on performance indicators such as fairness in administration of justice (45 percent), impartiality (30 percent), professionalism (10 percent), certainty (5 percent), behaviour and attitude (5 percent) and communication (5 percent) to rank the judicial officers.

A total of 3,962 people including 15 judges, 31 magistrates, 13 registrars, 196 court clerks were interviewed.

Mr Twesigye also said the judges’ performance was rated basing on the quality of the judgments they wrote, drawing from the common law jurisprudence of what amounts to a good judgment.

According to the report, both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used to collect  data from 24 magisterial areas and courts from five regions of central, eastern, northern, western and headquarters.

Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo in his remarks read out by Registrar Magistrates Affairs, Ms Rosemary Bareebe, welcomed the assessment of the judges and applauded CEPIL for coming up with Judiciary score card despite situations presented by Covid-19.

“We welcome the assessment and recommendations made in the report, and we will give our attention where it is required for better results in the next period of reporting,” CJ Owiny-Dollo said.