Chief Inspector of Courts Meets DCJ to Discuss Strategies for Enhancing Judicial Performance
The Chief Inspector of Courts, Justice Stephen Musota (JSC), earlier met with the Deputy Chief Justice(DCJ), Richard Buteera, at the Court of Appeal in Kampala to discuss strategies for strengthening the performance of the Inspectorate of Courts and improving judicial accountability.
Justice Musota was accompanied by Registrars from the Inspectorate and the Registrar for Research, Planning and Development, HW John Paul Edoku.
The high-level engagement focused on ways to enhance inspections, improve judicial performance reporting, and promote accountability across the Judiciary.
In his remarks, the Deputy Chief Justice underscored the need for comprehensive and analytical inspection reports that go beyond routine checks to critically assess the performance of individual Judicial Officers.
He advised the Inspectors to thoroughly document the workload handled by each Judicial Officer, particularly in stations with limited ICT infrastructure. He encouraged Inspectors to read judgments and track the progress of cases handled by the courts to ensure accurate reporting.
Drawing on best practices from other jurisdictions such as Tanzania, Justice Buteera noted the importance of ensuring that every Judicial Officer and court is accountable ,with clear records of their work and any challenges faced.
He further emphasized that inspections should focus on identifying obstacles hindering performance, such as absenteeism, lateness, and case delays, and recommended that reports highlight common complaints from court users and advocates.
"Inspection is not about fault-finding but fact-finding to support improvement," Justice Buteera said, adding that regular spot checks and a visible presence of Inspectors contribute to discipline and enhance the public image of the Judiciary.
He also pointed out the need for detailed inspection reports that offer critical analysis, identify performance gaps, and provide actionable recommendations to help Judicial Officers improve their service delivery.
Justice Buteera stressed the importance of proper deployment of Magistrates, noting the imbalance in workload across different stations. He encouraged Inspectors to gather relevant data that can guide policy decisions on deployment and resource allocation.
In response, Justice Musota appreciated the DCJ for his guidance and insightful observations. He agreed on the need to improve the quality of inspection reports and welcomed the proposal for regular engagements with the DCJ and other key stakeholders.
He acknowledged existing challenges in reporting mechanisms and supported the idea of revising reporting structures to ensure timely sharing of field findings with the Chief Registrar, Chief Justice, and other decision-makers.
The meeting also discussed the dual reporting structure of Registrars in the Inspectorate - who report to both the Chief Inspector of Courts and the Chief Registrar - and emphasized the importance of seamless information sharing to facilitate informed decision-making.
The Registrar Research, Planning and Development, thanked the DCJ for his time and invaluable guidance, noting that the insights shared would greatly enhance the effectiveness of the Inspectorate's work.
The meeting was attended by HW Angualia Moses Gabriel (Ag Registrar, Inspectorate of Courts; Deputy Registrars; HW Festo Nsenga, HW Ajio Hellen and HW Sempala Dorothy Lwanga; HW Dr. Mushabe Alex Karocho (Private Legal Secretary to the DCJ) and HW Christine Turibamwe(Principal Magistrate Grade One, Research Officer attached to the DCJ) were also present.
The meeting concluded with a recommendation for the Chief Inspector of Courts to meet with the Chief Registrar to further streamline reporting systems and enhance collaboration for improved performance across the Judiciary.
Posted 7th, April 2025
