JUDICIARY Latest Features

After three days of intensive learning and field visits across Uganda’s Albertine Graben, judicial officers and representatives from partner institutions gathered for a dinner last evening hosted by the Chief Justice, Justice Dr Flavian Zeija, at Kabalega Resort in Hoima. This was to reflect on the knowledge acquired, celebrate the success of the study visit and strengthen the partnerships made during the programme.

The dinner marked the culmination of the Judiciary’s oil and gas field excursion, organised by the Judicial Training Institute (JTI) in collaboration with the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU), the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and the Bank of Uganda (BoU). The three-day programme gave participants first-hand exposure to Uganda’s petroleum industry and its significance to the country’s socio-economic transformation.

Delivering his remarks, Chief Justice Justice Dr Flavian Zeija underscored the Judiciary’s indispensable role in Uganda’s economic development, noting that an efficient justice system is just as vital to national progress as roads, bridges and other physical infrastructure.“People often view the Judiciary as a consuming institution, but the Judiciary is a critical pillar of economic development,” he said.

He explained that investors closely examine how efficiently disputes are resolved before committing capital, observing that prolonged litigation can discourage investment and undermine economic growth.

“If an investor acquires land, establishes a factory and a dispute over that land takes five years to resolve, that investor will never encourage others to invest in the country,” he noted.

The Chief Justice said judicial decisions have a direct bearing on strategic national investments, particularly in the oil and gas sector, and urged judicial officers to adopt a development-oriented mindset while remaining faithful to the law.

“When you are seated at your desk looking at the cases before you, prioritise those that have a direct impact on the country’s development because we are all stakeholders in Uganda’s progress,” he said.

Reflecting on the field excursion, Justice Zeija described the visit as an eye-opener that had provided participants with a deeper appreciation of the scale, sophistication and complexity of Uganda’s petroleum industry.

“I never imagined the magnitude of the investment taking place here. I was truly mesmerised, especially by what we saw today. The engineers simplified very complex technical processes and by the time we left, we had a much better understanding of the sector,” he said.

To ensure that the lessons learnt are institutionalised, the Chief Justice proposed the establishment of a joint working group comprising representatives from UNOC, PAU, URA and the Bank of Uganda to prepare a comprehensive report on the study visit. The report will be discussed during an exit meeting and will help shape future engagements between the Judiciary and partner institutions.

“This was not a luxury visit. It was a study visit intended to inform how we move forward as a Judiciary in supporting Uganda’s journey to first oil and the continued development of the petroleum sector,” he emphasised.

Justice Zeija thanked the partner institutions for supporting the initiative, noting that many judicial officers had described the experience as transformative.

Deputy Chief Justice Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi said the Judiciary embarked on the excursion with two key objectives: to deepen its understanding of Uganda’s oil and gas industry and to validate research previously undertaken on the sector.

He commended the technical teams from UNOC and PAU for translating highly technical concepts into language that was easy to understand.

“At some point, I even felt like a scientist because of how simply everything had been explained,” he joked.

Justice Kazibwe said one of the greatest lessons from the visit was the value of collaboration among public institutions.

“When I see the Bank of Uganda, PAU, UNOC, URA and the Judiciary sitting at the same table, I see the power of collaboration. We need more of such partnerships, even in other sectors,” he said.

The Principal Judge Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo described the excursion as one of the most rewarding experiences of her professional life.

“This is the most satisfying journey I have ever taken as an adult. It has been extremely informative and enriching,” she said.

Bank of Uganda Governor Dr Michael Atingi-Ego said the visit had deepened his appreciation of the petroleum industry and its contribution to Uganda’s economic transformation.

He observed that the anticipated Final Investment Decision on the oil refinery, expected by February next year, would further stimulate foreign direct investment before oil exports begin improving Uganda’s balance of payments.

Speaking from the perspective of the Central Bank and the financial sector, Dr Atingi-Ego emphasised that financial stability is closely linked to the effectiveness of the justice system. He noted that a predictable, fair and efficient Judiciary is essential for safeguarding investments, resolving commercial disputes and maintaining confidence in Uganda’s economy.

He explained that once oil exports commence and the refinery becomes operational, Uganda’s current account balance is expected to improve significantly as the country reduces imports of refined petroleum products.

“The oil sector is of immense importance to the Central Bank because of its impact on the economy. We therefore need to continue working closely with all stakeholders to ensure production proceeds successfully and that the proceeds are invested in building a strong non-oil economy that will outlive the oil itself,” he said.

Dr Atingi-Ego also commended the engineers and technical teams from UNOC and PAU for their professionalism and thanked the security teams, the JTI Secretariat and the hospitality staff for ensuring the success of the programme.

Chairperson of the Judicial Training Institute Governing Council, Justice Mike Chibita, thanked the partner institutions for making the study visit possible, describing it as an invaluable learning opportunity for judicial officers.

He observed that beyond exposing participants to world-class petroleum infrastructure and operations, the excursion had strengthened the Judiciary’s understanding of the legal, commercial, environmental and social issues likely to arise from the sector.

“As judicial officers, our decisions often affect sectors that shape the nation’s economy. Seeing these projects firsthand enriches our appreciation of the issues that may one day come before our courts,” he said.

Justice Chibita added that the shared travel, discussions and interactions had strengthened relationships between the Judiciary and partner institutions, creating lasting networks that would continue to support national development.

He reaffirmed the Judicial Training Institute’s commitment to providing practical learning opportunities that broaden judicial officers’ understanding of the sectors they serve.

Representing the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, Board Member Mr Innocent Kihika thanked the Judiciary and partner institutions for embracing the study visit, describing it as a successful knowledge-sharing initiative.

“You came, you saw and you conquered,” he remarked, adding that participants were leaving not only with greater knowledge but also with stronger professional relationships.

He entertained guests by announcing the results of a light-hearted quiz conducted aboard one of the buses during the excursion, with the Industrial Court team emerging as the overall winners.

Mr Kihika also presented copies of a historical publication documenting Uganda’s early petroleum exploration journey in the Albertine Graben to the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice, the Principal Judge, Justice Mike Chibita and the Governor of the Bank of Uganda as souvenirs of the visit.

Representing the Commissioner for Legal and Board Affairs at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, Ms Diana Prida Praffa conveyed apologies from Commissioner Catherine Donovan, who had been called away on official duty, and extended greetings from the Commissioner General of the Uganda Revenue Authority.

She said supporting the study visit was important because all participating institutions play complementary roles in ensuring Uganda fully benefits from its petroleum resources.

“As the country’s tax collector, it was important for URA to support this initiative so that all institutions appreciate what is happening in the Albertine region and understand how our different responsibilities contribute to Uganda’s development,” she said.

Ms Praffa revealed that URA expects to collect Shs1.6 trillion from the oil and gas sector out of its Shs46 trillion revenue target for the current financial year. She also presented tokens of appreciation to the Chief Justice, the Deputy Chief Justice, the Principal Judge, the Chairperson of the JTI Governing Council, the Governor of the Bank of Uganda and other key partners.

She noted that tax disputes arising from the petroleum sector are expected to increase and urged the Judiciary to continue resolving such matters expeditiously to facilitate investment and unlock government revenue.

She thanked the Chief Justice for championing the programme and expressed appreciation to PAU, UNOC, the Bank of Uganda, the Judicial Training Institute and all partner institutions for successfully organising the excursion.

The evening concluded with the cutting of a birthday cake in honour of Justice Vincent Openye, whose birthday had been celebrated the previous day.

The dinner was moderated by HW Khadija Kahunde, HW Mallen Obizu and HW Esther Muringi, Magistrates attached to the JTI. They thanked the Chief Justice for hosting the evening and applauded the partner institutions for supporting a successful study visit, describing the dinner as an opportunity to celebrate new friendships, reflect on the lessons learnt and strengthen collaboration in advancing Uganda’s development.