The Principle Judge Flavian Zeija has directed Justice Stephen Mubiru, not to hear or be allocated any further new cases until he disposes of 170 cases before him.
The Principal Judge is the head of the High Court. He also manages the decentralized High Court Circuits as well as Magistrates Courts.
The orders were contained in a December 01, 2023 letter (reference PJ/GEN/125/2023), titled “writing of all pending judgments and rulings before continuing with hearing of any other cases before you at the High Court Commercial Division”.
“As you may recall, I convened a High Court Performance Review Retreat at Imperial Gold View, Entebbe, from 23-24 November 2023 for Heads of High Court Divisions and Circuits and the Case Backlog Committee Chaired by the Hon. Deputy Chief Justice. During the retreat, I informed the Heads of Hight Court Divisions and Circuits that my office was receiving an alarming number of complaints from litigants and advocates against delayed delivery of judgements and rulings. It was resolved that I write to all Judges with pending judgments giving them specific deadlines to write and deliver those pending judgements and rulings,” Hon. Zeija wrote.
“As at November 22, 2023, your lordship had 170 pending judgments and rulings. This number constitutes the biggest number of judgments and rulings pending before a single Judge at High Court Level. The majority of those judgments and rulings have been pending before you for unreasonably long periods, contrary to Principle 6.2 of the Judicial Code of Conduct,” Zeija added.
In accordance with Section 20 (1) of the Judicature Act Cap 13, Hon. Zeija ordered:
“Your allocated workload at the High Court Commercial Division is effective December 05, 2023, restricted to only pending judgments and rulings. You are directed to write and deliver all pending judgements and rulings within sixty days effective December 05, 2023. During this period, you are further directed not to hear any case or be allocated any new files, until a satisfactory report has been availed to this office indicating that you have written and delivered all pending judgments and rulings.”
The letter is copied to the Hon Chief Justice and his Deputy; the Chairperson Judicial Service Commission; the PS/Secretary to the Judiciary, the Chief Registrar and the Deputy Registrar of the High Court’s Commercial Division.