The Hon. Lady Justice Solome Balungi Bossa
Uganda has nominated Court of Appeal, Hon. Lady Justice Solome Balungi Bossa as its candidate for the post of judge of the International Criminal Court (ICC) whose elections will be held in December 2017. The nomination took place in Addis Ababa during the 28th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
Hon. Lady Justice Bossa, who is competing against two other candidates from Benin and Lesotho, is a highly accomplished judge with over 27 years of legal and judicial work experience at national, regional and international level. She has considerable exposure and experience in international judicial practice, international human rights, international humanitarian law,international criminal law and constitutional law.
Her name was submitted to the African Union Commission (AUC) for early consideration by President Yoweri Museveni to allow her adequate time to campaign.
Hon. Lady Justice Solome Balungi Bossa was elected as the Judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in June 2014, for a term of six years. She has served as Judge with the High Court of Uganda for 16 years (1997-2013), the East African Court of Justice for five years (2001-2006), United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (UNICTR) for nine and half years (2003-2013), and currently serves as Judge on the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court for Uganda.
Before joining the Bench, she was a Lecturer/Law Reporter at the Law Development Centre of Uganda for seventeen years (1981-1997). She has, been a human rights activist since 1980 and has founded/chaired non-profit Organizations in human rights like the East African Law Society. The East African Centre for Constitutional Development, the Uganda Network on HIV, AIDS,Ethics and the Law, the Uganda Law Society, among others. She has also chaired government bodies like the Law Council and the National Steering Committee on Community Service.
On the international scene, she is a member of the International Commission of Jurists, the international Association of Women Judges, the African Centre for Democracy and Human Rights and the East African Judges and Magistrate’s Association, among others. At national level, she is a member of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Uganda Chapter, the National Association of Women Judges, and the Uganda Association of Judges and Magistrates.
As a Bar leader, Justice Bbosa is well trained on improving access to justice, constitutional and democratic governance, leadership skills, among others. She contributed significantly towards the establishment of the East African Law Society, the East African Centre for Constitutional Development (Kituo cha Katiba), and the Uganda Network on Law, Ethics, HIV and the Law. She also participated through the aegis of the International Commission for Jurists, in the initial stages of drafting of the Additional Protocol on Women to the African Charter.
She holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B) Honors from Makerere University. She is a candidate for a Master of Laws Degree (LL.M) from the University of London. She has received various national, regional and inter-national awards in recognition of her distinguished services as a legal practitioner, judge and human rights activist.
Making of a Judge at ICC
The International Criminal Court consist of 18 judges, organised into three chambers—the Pre-Trial Chamber, Trial Chamber and Appeals Chamber—which carry out the judicial functions of the Court. Judges are elected to the Court by the Assembly of States Parties. They serve nine-year terms and are not generally eligible for re-election. All judges must be nationals of states parties to the Rome Statute, and no two judges may be nationals of the same state. They must be "persons of high moral character, impartiality and integrity who possess the qualifications required in their respective States for appointment to the highest judicial offices".
Posted 2nd, February 2017
