Hon. Justices and Judges at the 19th Annual Judge's Conference
Munyonyo: The three-day 19th Annual Judges Conference closed on Sunday in Kampala, with calls on judicial officers by the Hon. the Chief Justice Bart Katureebe, to uphold the integrity of the Judiciary.
"We need to strengthen and uphold integrity both as an institution and as individual Judicial Officers and staff. We have to use all means available to us to eliminate case backlog and increase case disposal," he said while closing the Conference at the Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala:
Hon. Justice Katureebe said to uplift and maintain public confidence in the Judiciary, there was need for co-operation and support of the other arms of the State. "I am not talking about the usual support, but the kind of support that recognises the Judiciary as an equal with the other arms of the State."
Over 150 delegates, who included Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, High Court Judges, Registrars, senior members of the Judiciary Administration, scholars, media practitioners and representatives of the 18 Justice Law and Order Sector member institutions.
The objective of the Conference,under the theme: "The Uganda Judiciary as the Guarantor of the Rule of Law", was to highlight the role and importance of the Judiciary in defending and guaranteeing the rule of law.
The conference which ended on January 29, 2017 was held under the theme:
President Yoweri Museveni,who officially opened the Conference on January 27, among other things, called upon judges to prioritise commercial and murder cases.
At the Conference, a number of challenges the Judiciary faces in carrying out its mandate, which are critical to the rule of law, were identified. To that end, a number of recommendations and resolutions were arrived at and will be shared in due course of time.
The Conference attracted the Chancellor of Guyana Carl Singh, renowned academic Prof. Hugh Corder from the University of Cape Town, civil society leaders as well as technocrats.
The purpose of the Annual Judges Conference is to enable the Judiciary take stock of the institution’s performance, celebrate its achievements, recognise opportunities and chart better ways of overcoming challenges.
Posted 30th, January 2017
