His Worship Paul Gadenya
12 May 2015 – Nobody gets appointed or\r\npromoted into judicial ranks without a proper interview process by the Judicial\r\nService Commission (JSC), the Judiciary said.
The vacancies are advertised publicly for all to apply and successful\r\ncandidates are offered the jobs on merit after JSC confirms their professional\r\ncompetences and integrity.
"The occupation of judicial officers is based on competence. You enter on\r\nmerit and will be promoted on merit,” said Mr Gadenya Paul Wolimbwa, the Chief Registrar\r\nof Courts of Judicature.
This was in response to a May 6 provocative anonymous email sent to JSC’s\r\nSecretary, Mr. Kagole Kivumbi, by people who claimed to be members of the Marginalised\r\nMagistrates Advocacy Plan (MMAP), a non-descript organisation. They accused Mr\r\nKivumbi of frustrating their promotions.
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"The decisions to promote our officers are made by a fully constituted\r\nJSC, and it has nothing to do with Mr Kagole Kivumbi. Anonymous messages cannot\r\nget anybody promoted,” said Mr Gadenya Paul. "Any\r\nMagistrate who feels marginalised should petition the JSC through the Chief\r\nRegistrar for consideration instead of resorting to clandestine manoeuvres\r\nwhich violate penal laws and the Judicial Code of Conduct.”
Mr Gadenya revealed that there are 77 vacancies in the Judiciary’s higher\r\nand lower bench today, but cautioned the judicial officers that the positions\r\nwere competitive as they are also open competent lawyers in private practice\r\nwho are eligible and apply for the same positions.
The Judiciary gets equally concerned about the delayed promotions of\r\njudicial officers, according to Mr Gadenya, and periodically updates JSC with\r\nnames of the affected officers for possible promotion to suitable positions.
On 10 February 2015, the Chief Registrar forwarded 30 names of stagnated\r\nmagistrates to JSC, highlighting that some of them had not been promoted for as\r\nlong as 16 years. "I urge the Judicial Service Commission to consider\r\nstagnation in service as a serious human resource problem, with negative impact\r\non the administration of justice,” Mr Gadenya wrote in part.
"Stagnation could be something to do with a judicial officer’s\r\ncompetences or past conduct. We know so because some really get promoted but\r\nthere are those that never go past the interviews.
As a result, in late March 2015, Isa Serunkuuma (53), who had stagnated\r\nat the rank of a Principal Grade One Magistrate, was elevated to a Chief\r\nMagistrate. Janeva Natukunda (40), who had stagnated for 16 years at the\r\nrank of Grade One Magistrate, was also promoted to Principal Grade One\r\nMagistrate.
At the same time, JSC appointed eight new magistrates at the level of\r\nGrade One Magistrates.
Notes to Editors
The Judiciary currently has a total of 77 vacancies up for grabs both at\r\nthe higher bench (21) and lower bench (40). Potential candidates have since\r\nMarch been attending interviews with JSC to fill three (03) Supreme Court\r\njustices’ positions; Court of Appeal (03); and High Court (15). Other vacancies\r\ninclude three (03) for Registrars, Deputy Registrars (16), Assistant Registrars\r\n(04), Chief Magistrates (2), Senior Principal Magistrate Grade 1 (04);\r\nPrincipal Magistrate Grade 1 (04); Senior Magistrate Grade 1 (10) and\r\nMagistrates Grade I (29).
For further information, please contact:
Solomon\r\nMuyita
Senior\r\nCommunications Officer
The\r\nJudiciary - Public Affairs & Communication Office
Mobile: +256 (0) 77 220 0089
Email: smuyita[at]judicature.go.ug
Posted 12th, May 2015
