President Yoweri Museveni has called upon the East African magistrates and judges to collaborate on eliminating corruption within the region’s judiciaries.
While delivering the president’s speech at the East African Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association Conference, Vice President Jessica Alupo highlighted the need for innovative solutions to address corruption, low technology, and the prolonged expedition of cases.
The conference, currently underway in Uganda, brings together magistrates and judges from East African nations to discuss and share best practices for fostering a dynamic judicial fraternity in the region.
“In his message, President Museveni emphasized the urgent fight against corruption plaguing the judicial systems in our region. He also pinpointed the shortcomings in technological innovation in the dispensation of justice across East Africa,” Alupo said.
President Museveni expressed concern over the impediments to justice caused by corruption and outdated technology.
The conference serves as a platform to address these challenges and find effective strategies to enhance the integrity and efficiency of judiciaries in the East African region.
Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo highlighted the need to tackle case backlog.
“We urge regional governments to tackle the pressing issues of case backlogs, budgetary constraints, inadequate innovation, and insufficient human resources. Addressing these challenges is vital for the effective functioning of our judicial systems.”
Justice Eudes Ketirima, the president of the East African Magistrates and Judges Association, shared insights into the conference’s goals:
“The conference aims to forge practical ways to mitigate bottlenecks faced by the regional judicial systems. By harmonizing the best practices of judiciaries in East Africa, we strive to create a more effective and responsive legal framework.”
Under the theme ‘Harmonizing the Best Practices of Judiciaries in EA,’ the conference seeks to foster collaboration and innovation.
Participants are engaged in discussions to develop strategies that will enhance the efficiency, transparency, and accessibility of justice systems across East Africa.
As the conference progresses, the focus remains on cultivating a judicial environment that is resilient to corruption, embraces technological advancements, and ultimately serves the interests of the citizens in the East African community.