The Performance Management and Awards Committee has intensified efforts to strengthen accountability and efficiency within the Judiciary, holding its first meeting of Quarter Three for the Financial Year 2025/2026 at the Supreme Court Building in Kampala.
Chaired by Supreme Court Justice Mike Chibita, the meeting set a decisive tone for the quarter, with a strong focus on fast-tracking the rollout of the Performance Enhancement Tool (PET) and refining mechanisms to drive performance across all court levels.
Justice Chibita introduced the draft Judiciary Rewards and Sanctions Framework, submitted by the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Judiciary.
He tasked members with critically reviewing and enriching the framework to ensure it effectively supports performance management within the institution.
Central to the discussions was the urgent need to accelerate the implementation of the PET, which remains a cornerstone of the Judiciary’s broader performance reform agenda.
Justice Chibita emphasized the importance of developing a clear and practical roadmap to extend the tool’s rollout to the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court.
“We need ideas on how to expedite the implementation of the tool,” he said, underscoring the Committee’s commitment to embedding a results-driven culture across all judicial levels.
The Committee received a technical presentation from the Head Statistician, Isaac Bbossa Sserunkuma, who outlined a proposed weighted case target model for Chief Magistrates.
He explained that the model, to be integrated into the PET system, is informed by a retrospective analysis of performance data drawn from ECCMIS and CCAS over the past two financial years.
According to the analysis, the existing numerical target of 400 cases, provided for under the 2016 Schedule of Duties and Key Performance Indicators, could be maintained, translating into a weighted case output target of 947 cases for the Financial Year 2025/26.
This benchmark reflects performance already achieved in the previous financial year and is considered appropriate as the tool continues to stabilize in its early implementation phase.
Members welcomed the proposal, noting that deployment strategies for the PET should be aligned with the weighted case targets to ensure consistency, fairness, and measurable impact.
Providing an update on implementation progress, the Committee Secretary, Patricia Amoko, reported that Phase I of the PET rollout had registered steady progress despite a number of challenges.
She revealed that 32 out of 98 Chief Magistrates had so far activated their performance plans, supported by ongoing sensitization efforts through media engagements and targeted technical assistance.
To strengthen support structures, the Secretariat has constituted a team of 18 officers, each assigned specific clusters of appraisees to provide hands-on guidance through the implementation process up to the end of the financial year.
Additional trainings are planned for Quarter Four, targeting officers categorized as “Subordinates” within activated performance plans, subject to availability of funds.
The meeting concluded with members being tasked to review the draft Judiciary Rewards and Sanctions Framework and submit their input within two weeks, paving the way for a more robust and responsive performance management system.
