President Museveni has appointed 15 new people as Justices of the Court of Appeal and Judges of the High Court in Kampala.
In a circular released on Friday evening, Museveni sent the names to parliament for approval.
“In exercise of the powers vested in the President by the 1995 constitution of the Republic of Uganda and basing on advice of the Judicial Service Commission, I appoint the listed below as justices of the Court of Appeal and Judges of the High Court,”Museveni’s message reads in part.
Irene Mulyagonja
The head of the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) has been appointed as a justice of the Court of Appeal.
Mulyagonja was earlier this year one of the 25 candidates who applied to the Judicial Service Commission(JSC), the government body charged with recruitment and disciplining of judicial officers to occupy positions at the High Court and Court of Appeal that needed to be filled and had been advertised.
Prior to the same, she had been in a war for supremacy with Lt.Col.Edith Nakalema, the State House Anti -Corruption unit head who many saw as having been brought by the President to do the work of Mulyagonja who was seen as being a barking dog that does not bite.
Born 56 years ago in Jinja, she later graduated with a Bachelor’s law degree from Makerere University before getting a diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre
In 2008, Mulyagonja was appointed to the High Court of Uganda and was assigned to the Jinja circuit.
She was later re-assigned to the Commercial Division of the High Court rising to the deputy head of the division before she was appointed as the Inspector General of Government in 2012.
Others appointed as Justices of the Court of Appeal are Monica Mugenyi Kalegira who has been serving as the Principal Judge at the East African Court of Justice in Tanzania and Kibedi Muzamiru Mutangula.
Jane Okuo
In the same communication, Museveni has also appointed Jane Kajuga Okuo as a High Court Judge.
Prior to the appointment, Okuo has been serving as the spokesperson of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
Earlier, Okuo had successfully argued the case in which businesswoman Jackie Uwera Nsenga was convicted and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for the murder of her husband, Juvenale Nsenga in 2013.
Serving as the lead prosecutor together with Justice Suzan Okalany, Okuo successfully saw the case steered on the prosecution side and this made her more popular.
She will now serve as a judge in the High Court of Uganda, subject to vetting and approval by parliament.
Vincent Mugabo
The President also appointed the judiciary spokesperson, Vincent Emmy Mugabo as a High Court judge.
Prior to the appointment, Mugabo has been serving as the judiciary spokesperson since 2017.
Born on 25 December 1974, Mugabo is a career judicial officer who joined the Judiciary as a Grade One magistrate in 2000 and rose through the ranks to his current rank of a deputy registrar.
He is a holder of Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere(1998) and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in 1999.
In 2011, he was recognized by in the Justice, Law and Order Sector Integrity Committee Report for his excellent performance as Chief Magistrate Buganda Road Court in the Annual Nation Wide Field Visits.
In 2012, as Chief Magistrate at the Mengo Chief Magistrate Court, he participated in the successful pilot of Small Claims Procedure, earning the Judiciary the 2013 Public Sector Innovations Award from the Ministry of Public Service - recognizing their contribution towards improving service delivery in Uganda.
Susan Abinyo
The Makerere University graduate of commercial law has prior to the appointment as a High Court Judge served as a Grade One Magistrate and a Chief Magistrate between 2014 and 2015.
Abinyo was in January 2016 elevated to Deputy Registrar, a position she has served in until her appointment as a High Court judge by President Museveni.
In 2014, there was an incident in which irate Lubaga North MP Moses Kasibante supporters insulted Abinyo who was handling a matter in which the legislator had been accused of jumping bail.
When he was brought before Susan Abinyo who was the Chief Magistrate for Mwanga II court in Mengo, Kasibante was denied bail, prompting his supporters to hurl insults at the magistrate who in turn ordered for the arrest of the supporters but police officers present developed cold feet.
Other people appointed as judges of the High Court include Immaculate Busingye, Isaac Muwata, Jesse Byaruhanga Rugyema, Isam Sserunkuuma and Jeanne Rwakakoko.