The team led by the Chief Registrar , HW Esta Nambayo with Hon. Justice Baguma at the Mpigi High Court
MPIGI: The team tasked to lead efforts of data cleaning and harmonization of the physical files with themanual register and CCAS, started off the exercise at Mpigi High Court circuit.
Comprised the Chief Registrar, HW Esta Nambayo; Registrar in Charge of Magistrates Affairs and Data Management, HW Susan Abinyo; Judiciary Technical Advisor, Mr Andrew Khaukha and Mr Brian Oryema from the ICT Department the team was on Thursday April 4, 2019 received by the Mpigi Resident Judge, Hon. Justice Emmanuel Baguma.
In his brief, the Judge explained that the circuit was operationalized in 2016. He said when he was posted there in May 2018; the first exercise he undertook was to carry out a physical count of the files to assess his workload. Adding that he equally went on a prison visit to interact with inmates.
Hon. Justice Baguma informed the team that Mpigi High Court had another physical file count in December 2018. He said as at April 1, the Court had 1,577 matters pending,Land had 970, Civil 92, Family 374 and Criminal 141. Of these only 329 are classified as backlog.
The Judge explained that there is a planned session in May to handle the 42 criminal matters, files of 2017, classified as backlog and outlined plans to ensure that criminal matters for 2018 are disposed of before end of the year.
Hon. Justice Baguma said he holds quarterly meetings with all Judicial Officers in the circuit to discuss court operations. Adding that obtaining court records is not a problem.
During the interaction with all staff at the High Court, the Judge explained to the team that the clerks utilize the daily record document to update both the manual register as well as CCAS. He said the systems administrator had devised an in-house bring up system where the Judge of pending court business.
The team were led on guided tour to the registry that has also been partitioned into a cashier's office as well as library. The Judge said due to lack of space, one of the courtrooms had been converted into a registry for proper management of records.
The CR and her team inspected the manual registers and random cases were sampled to verify if the record matched with what was in CCAS.
It is here that teams were constituted and allocated case categories to enter during the census.
The Judge equally expressed his gratitude to the Judiciary Top Management for the availability of funds, although inadequate.
The team was informed that the courthouses at Bujjuko, Kanoni and Kibibi are not fit to conduct court business. "They operate in rented premises which do not have power not even a coat of paint. Files are heaped on the floors and there is no furniture," Hon. Justice Baguma said.
Rollout at the CM Court
From the High Court, the team went to Mpigi Chief Magistrate's Court to kick off a similar exercise.
The CM, HW Mohammed Kasakya, explained that they have many files pending committal,which causes unnecessary backlog.
The Court decried unstable internet connection that makes updating CCAS a challenge.
In her brief to the Judicial Officers and staff at the court, the CR pointed out that many times monthly returns are dispatched to the headquarters but they do not tally with what is in the manual register and CCAS.
She said her team was interested in cleaning up the system and ensure that all records tally. Adding that many times matters are concluded and records do not reflect these decisions.
The CR encouraged the team to utilize the daily court record document to update what transpired in court.
The Mpigi team asked for one week to complete the physical file count.
Posted 5th, April 2019
