12,000 CASES NOT HEARD AS JUDICIAL OFFICERS STRIKE

By; Ben Musanje

The Judiciary Chief Registrar Paul Gadenya has revealed that over 12,000 cases have not been heard within the 4 day judicial officer’s strike that began last Friday.

Gadenya says the situation has forced adjournments causing overcrowding of inmates and detainees in prisons and police cells respectively.

On average, the 202 courts in Uganda worked on slightly above 30 cases and their off duties cause a big challenge thus appealing to judicial officers to call off their strike.

There was a meeting called by the Judicial Service Commission together with the government and selected officials from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to forge away forward over the salary increment and incentives for the judicial officers but its outcomes have not been publicized.

Meanwhile; a coalition of seven Civil Society Organizations dealing in legal aspect has demanded on government to pass the Judicial Administration Bill into law to enable the Judiciary operate independently with a full financial independence.

Addressing the media on behalf of the coalition at the Uganda Law Society headquarters in Kololo, the Legal Aid Service Provider’s Network (LASPNET) Executive Director Sylvia Namubiru said the law will separate the judiciary from the executive arm of government currently operating under the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

However, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) Vice President Alice Namuli urges government to expeditiously resolve the judicial workers’ stalemate and work on their demands to avoid temptation that would compromise the proficiency of judicial officers.