Museveni questions need for judicial independence

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has observed a need to amend the prerequisite for the independence of the judiciary. He says the concept is being abused by some judicial officers.

Museveni argues that the judiciary cannot be entirely independent of the other arms of the government and proposes that there should be a convergence of principles of justice because he sees a problem if it’s only the judiciary that is benefiting to the detriment of the citizens.

Museveni made the remarks on Wednesday while officiating at the fifth Annual Memorial Ceremony of the first Ugandan Chief Justice Benedicto Kiwanuka, at the Judiciary headquarters in Kampala. Kiwanuka died on September 21, 1972 and since then, the country has heard contradicting accounts pointing to the possibility that he was killed shortly after his abduction.

Museveni’s reaction came after the Uganda Law Society President Bernard Oundo accused a section of government agencies especially the armed forces of not respecting and implementing court orders. Oundo said such practices threaten the independence of the Judiciary, rule of law and constitutionalism.

But Museveni explained that sometimes decisions and orders of the courts are not implemented because they do not rhyme with the interests of both the population and the political side, a trend that creates a lacuna in the administration of justice. Museveni cited the eviction of families from chunks of land for the benefit of one person.

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