The Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, this morning paid her maiden visit to the Criminal Division of the High Court, where she engaged Judicial Officers and inspected the Division's facilities as part of her ongoing institutional "listening tour."
During a meeting with Judges of the Division, the Principal Judge commended them for their strong performance, as reflected in the Management Report as of 21st January 2026. She explained that her countrywide engagements are intended to foster honest conversations on how courts operate and to jointly identify practical ways of improving service delivery.
Addressing the growing concern of attacks on judicial officers, particularly those handling high-profile cases, Lady Justice Abodo emphasized that the safety, peace of mind, and wellness of judicial officers should not be treated as an individual responsibility but as an institutional obligation. She called for deliberate strategies to protect judicial officers and pledged her full support towards strengthening judicial wellness at the workplace.
The Principal Judge underscored the need to review the Daily Hearing Project to clearly establish the prerequisites necessary for its effective rollout across the country. She also stressed the importance of shared responsibility in case management, urging judicial officers to take firm control of hearing dates, minimize adjournments, strengthen coordination and discipline in case handling, develop practical case-management tools, and promote case conferencing to enable parties to agree on uncontested issues. She further encouraged judicial officers to prioritize their health and exercise regularly as a foundation for sustainable performance.
Following the meeting, Lady Justice Abodo inspected the Division's premises, including the archives, courtrooms, registries, and Judicial Officers' chambers. The inspection revealed constraints related to insufficient office space to adequately accommodate staff, as well as outdated and non-functional recording systems.
Presenting the Division report, the Head of Division, Justice David Matovu, highlighted the performance of each judge and commended the attachment of State Attorneys to individual judges, noting that this intervention has significantly reduced delays. He applauded the judicial officers for effectively managing other matters alongside numerous high-profile cases and urged continued efforts to clear the remaining backlog. He particularly appreciated the strong spirit of teamwork that has enabled the smooth running of the Division.
Discussions during the meeting also covered operational challenges, including the need for police process servers, availability of court-martial files, and persistent space limitations.
The meeting was attended by Justices; Emmanuel Baguma (Deputy Head of Division), Alex Ajiji Mackay, Gadenya Paul Wolimbwa, Isah Serunkuma, Rosette Comfort Kania, and Prof. Andrew Khaukha; the Registrar High Court, HW Katushabe Prossy; the Deputy Registrar, HW Samuel Twakyire.
The others included; HW Edgar Nyakairu, Personal Assistant to the Principal Judge; HW Joy Khayiyi, Magistrate Grade One Research attached to the Chambers of the Principal Judge; and Magistrates Grade One (Research) attached to the Judges of the Division.
Posted 27th, January 2026
