Eleven newly appointed acting judges of the High Court have been deployed in a move that will see three new High Court circuits operationalized.
The new circuits are Bushenyi, Kiboga and Kitgum high courts, carved out of Mbarara, Mubende and Gulu high courts, respectively.
According to an August 30 schedule, which was released by Principal Judge Flavia Zeija, some of the new appointees will be deployed at the new operationalised High Court circuits at Bushenyi, Kiboga and Kitgum.
Those deployed are Ms Flavia Nabakooza, Ms Christine Akello Echookit, Mr Amos Kwizera, Mr David Makumbi, Mr Samson Lwokya, Mr Jamson Karemani, Ms Jacqueline Mwondha, and Ms Aisha Naluzze Batala.
Others are Ms Rosette Comfort Kania and Mr Farouq Lubega.
Ms Nabakooza has been posted to the Land Division while the outgoing Judiciary Public Relations Officer, Justice Karemani has been deployed to Kiboga High Court as the first judge of the circuit.
The deployments have also seen circuits with a heavy workload such as Fort Portal, Mbale and Mukono getting an additional judge.
Similarly , the Land division got two additional judges while Commercial, Criminal and Family Divisions have each got one additional judge.
The Judiciary said the new courts being operationalised are part of Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo’s agenda to improve access to justice across the country and reduce case backlog a big challenge that has bedeviled for years .The current case backlog in the Judiciary is over 50,000 cases.
During the launch of the video conferencing facility at Gulu High Court, the Chief Justice observed that the operationalisation of the new High Court circuits will “greatly reduce the long distances that the people have been trekking to access High Court services.”
The appointment of the 11 judges now brings the total number of High Court judges to 81 against the approved staffing structure of 151 judges.
The new deployments: Name and station
Justice Flavia Nabakooza- High Court Land Dvision
Justice Amos Kwizera- Mbarara High Court circuit (to move to Bushenyi High Court after organising the court
Justice Jamson Karemani- Mubende High Court circuit (to move to Kiboga High Court after organising the court
Justice Phillip Willebrord Mwaka- Gulu High Court circuit ( to move to Kitgum High Court after organising of the court
Justice David L. Makumbi- Fort Portal High Court circuit
Justice Christine Akello Echookit- High Court Family Division
Justice Jaqueline Mwondha- Mukono High Court circuit
Justice Aisha Naluzze Batala- High Court Land Division
Justice Rosette Comfort Kania- High Court Criminal Division
Justice Patience Emily Rubagumya Tumusiime- High Court Commercial Division
