Law dons have expressed mixed reactions following the President's decision to deny Supreme Court judge Esther Kitimbo Kisakye an early retirement.
These warn that this could fuel the feud and tarnish the image of the judiciary further while some think the president was right because the Judge had no justifiable cause for retirement.
In a letter addressed to President Museveni in July 2023, Supreme Court Judge Esther Kisakye informed the president of her desire to retire.
However, it is reported that the president has rejected her request on the grounds that she is being investigated by the Judicial Service Tribunal. Constitutional lawyer George Musisi warns that the president’s decision could cause more chaos
Counsel Musisi says the said Judge has already dragged the Chief justice and the judicial service commission which are also mandated to investigate her over her case yet they are interested parties, saying this would provide no solution.
However, on the contrary, the former president of the Uganda Law Society Simon Peter Kinobe says the president was right given the fact she is under investigation.
Kinobe thinks the Judge acted contrary to Judicial decorum insisting that having a dissenting judgment could have never sparked off feud.
Kinobe says the judge has no justifiable reasons to retire yet her early retirement has implications for the taxpayer.
Judicial Service Commission recommended her removal from office over alleged misconduct and verbal attack against Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo following her divergent position on the outcome of the 2021 presidential election petition. The Supreme Court judge risks retiring without any benefits if she is found culpable.
