Kadaga asks attorney general to fast track administration of judiciary bill

Kampala, Uganda  | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has asked the Attorney General to push for the passing of the Administration of Judiciary Bill  

Parliament has on several occasions since last year failed to debate the report on the Bill by the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee chaired by West Budama South MP, Jacob Oboth with the government side seeking more time to harmonize with MPs. 

The bill seeks to operationalize provisions of the constitution relating to the judiciary administration of justice, improve efficiency and effectiveness of the courts, strengthen the independence of courts and streamline the administration of courts.

Among others, the bill also proposes that the judiciary manages the recruitment, supervision and disciplinary action of its staff which is currently respectively being done by the President and the Judicial Service Commission.

It also proposes that the judicial officers when retiring, they should go with all their full benefits, an issue that has been controversial before parliament and hence the delay in 2019.   

Speaking at the Launch of the New Law Year 2020 on Friday at the Judiciary Headquarters in Kampala, Kadaga noted that it was her desire to have the bill discussed and passed last year but she was informed that the government wanted more time.

Kadaga explained that although Parliament is willing to support the Judiciary in passing the bill, she is worried that the current Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Ephraim Kamuntu may delay it since he is new in office.

Despite the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee approving the Bill, majority of MPs are still opposed to a clause on the retirement benefits for judicial officers, which has been subject of contention for a long time and the composition of the Judiciary Advisory Committee.

On Monday, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah told MPs that the Administration of Judiciary Bill, if passed, would the government 17 billion shillings per year. 

He says that they advised the mover of the Bill to engage the Attorney General and discuss about it. The Vice President Edward Ssekandi who presented President Yoweri Museveni’s Speech at the function asked the Judges to handle cases related to land and commercial disputes expeditiously. 

The New Law year is when the Judiciary officially opens to the public to have their cases heard in that given New Year.

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