Parliament maintains number of justices at Supreme Court
Parliament has finally passed the long awaited judicature amendment bill 2023 dropping the government proposal of increasing the number on Justices at the supreme court from 11 to 21 including the Chief Justice.
The House has however, agreed to increase the number of Justices at the court of Appeal from 15 to 35 including the Deputy Chief Justice but with a directive to government appoint judges in the vacant positions in judiciary.
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The Wednesday parliamentary sitting chaired by Speaker Anita Among started by processing the judicature amendment bill 2023.
In the report read by the chairperson of legal and Parliamentary affairs committee Robinah Rwakoojo, the committee recommended for the deletion of clause 1 of the bill hence maintaining current number of justices at the supreme court at 11 including the Chief Justice.
Even when the Minister for Justice Nobert Mao requested the House to at least increase the number of Justices at the Supreme Court to 15 away from the earlier proposal of government of 21 Justices at the Supreme Court, the MPs insisted on maintaining the number.
The legislators have however advised Judiciary to establish a court sieving system at the supreme court to review cases before they are filed in the Supreme Court.
This is in addition to asking government to review the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to ensure that the Supreme Court only handles matters of the law.
The Houses also recommended the increment in the number of Justices at court of appeal but slashing the government proposal from 56 to 35 including the Deputy Chief Justice.
This means the number of the Justices at the Court of Appeal has now been increased from the current 11 to 35 including the Deputy Chief Justice.
