Ezrah Kashumbusha.
KAMPALA, February 22, 2024 | During a retreat for heads of Circuits and Heads of Divisions held on Thursday, February 22, 2024, at the Imperial Golf View Hotel in Entebbe, Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera issued a stern warning to Judicial Officers regarding delayed judgments and rulings.
As the chairman of the case backlog monitoring committee, Buteera set targets for case backlog management in the upcoming quarter. He emphasized the importance of timely delivery of court decisions, urging Judicial Officers to strive to issue judgments within 60 days from the date of hearing and closure of submissions.
“My Lords, I implore you to write quality judgments and rulings because they live beyond us and serve as permanent records read by everybody,” stated Buteera during the retreat.
He highlighted the challenges faced at respective stations and highlighted the need for strategies to reduce or eliminate case backlogs. Buteera emphasized the importance of collaboration among justice actors to promote coordination and cooperation among justice institutions.
The issue of delayed judgments and rulings was further emphasized by Principal Judge Zeija, who acknowledged it as a major concern for court users. Zeija urged Judicial Officers to strike a balance between hearings and delivering decisions to avoid accumulating pending judgments, which could lead to frustrations among litigants.
Buteera noted an improvement in the second quarter of the financial year 2023/2024 compared to previous quarters but stressed the importance of laying strategies for further improvement in the upcoming financial year.
The retreat provided a platform for the Judiciary to share, learn, and benchmark best practices aimed at enhancing performance and better serving the population of Uganda.
