The Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, has urged judicial officers of the High Court Civil Division to fast-track the disposal of pre-election cases, cautioning that the matters are time-sensitive and must be concluded before the upcoming general elections.
Lady Justice Abodo made the call on Monday during a meeting with judges and judicial officers of the Civil Division convened to assess progress on pre-election petitions and address operational challenges affecting their disposal.
She was accompanied by the Registrar of the High Court, Prossy Katushabe, and was received by the Head of the Civil Division, Lady Justice Joyce Kavuma, together with her Deputy, Justice Bernard Namanya.
Commending the officers for their dedication, the Principal Judge praised them for working through the Christmas holiday period to handle election-related cases, describing the effort as a clear demonstration of commitment to judicial duty.
She emphasised that the timely conclusion of pre-election matters is critical to safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process and preventing disputes from spilling into the polling and post-election period.
Lady Justice Abodo also raised concerns about media coverage of court proceedings during the election season, calling for a strengthened policy to guide reporting in a manner that preserves the dignity of the courts while ensuring accurate public information.
She proposed the establishment of an election committee within the Judiciary to coordinate issues relating to media engagement, security, and emerging challenges linked to election-related litigation.
The Principal Judge further highlighted the importance of judicial well-being in maintaining efficiency, encouraging officers to utilise the Judiciary’s health and fitness programmes.
She concluded by wishing the Civil Division a productive new year and reaffirming her support for its work.
In her remarks, Lady Justice Joyce Kavuma thanked the Principal Judge for engaging with the Division and commended judges and staff for their willingness to work through the holiday season to clear election-related cases.
She disclosed that 80 pre-election matters had so far been filed in the Civil Division and expressed confidence that all would be concluded by the end of the week.
However, Lady Justice Kavuma noted that the Division continues to face several operational challenges, which were discussed during the meeting.
The Registrar Civil Division, Simon Kintu Zirintusa, reported that while a number of cases had already been disposed of, progress in some matters had been delayed by procedural issues.
The engagement was attended by judges of the Civil Division, including Justices Acellam Collins, Teko Isaac, and Simon Peter Kinobe.
Also present were the Assistant Registrar, Esther Nakadama Mubiru, and Magistrates Grade I Research attached to the judges.