The Inspector-General of Government (IGG,) Irene Kakooza Mulyagonja, is among the 14 new judges nominated by President Yoweri Museveni for approval by Parliament as Judges of the Court of Appeal and High Court.
The Court of Appeal, also is known as Constitutional Court, is the second-highest appellant court in Uganda.
It derives its powers from Article 134 of the 1995 Constitution. In a letter to the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, the chairperson of Parliament’s appointments committee, which is responsible for approving presidential nominees, Museveni nominated Mulyagonja as Justice of the Court of Appeal.
Mulyagonja was appointed IGG on April 12, 2012, from the High Court, where she was a Judge. She has served for seven years and is left with one year to the end of her term as IGG.
REQUIREMENTS
According to the Constitution, a person is eligible to serve as IGG for a maximum of two terms of four years each. The inspectorate has an IGG and two deputy IGG.
The Constitution requires that one of the three persons must be qualified to be appointed as a judge of the High Court. The President has repeatedly criticized the Inspectorate over its apparent failure to fight corruption.
He recently remarked that the inspectorate had been infiltrated with what he described as the wrong elements.
The President also set up an anti-corruption unit within State House, headed by Lt Col Edith Nakalema, to bolster the fight against corruption in the country. It is unclear whether Mulyagonja will serve up to the end of her term or quit the Inspectorate immediately to take up her judicial appointment to the Court of Appeal, once approved by Parliament.
NOMINEES
Other Court of Appeal nominees are
- Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi, who is currently serving as the Principal Judge at the East African Court of Justice in Arusha, Tanzania
- Kibeedi Muzamiru Mutangula (City lawyer).
In his letter, which was received by the Speaker’s office on September 24, Museveni also nominated other senior judicial officers for approval by Parliament as Judges of the High Court. These include
- Esta Nambayo- (Chief Registrar),
- Isaac Muwata (Judicial Training Institute)
- Phillip Odoki (Registrar Court of Appeal) Suzan Abinyo (magistrates affairs)
- Isah Sserunkuma (Executions and Bailiffs division)
- Vincent Mugabo (Judiciary spokesperson).
- Others are Immaculate Busingye Byaruhanga (Inspectorate of Courts),
- Jean Rwakakooko (City lawyer),
- Jesse Byaruhanga Rwigyema (Deputy Registrar Court of Appeal),
- Boniface Wamala (Personal Assistant to the Chief Justice),
- Jane Okuo (Directorate of Public Prosecutions spokesperson)
- Victoria Katamba.
MULYAGONJA SPEAKS OUT
When we contacted Mulyagonja, she said she was happy that she had been reappointed. “I did apply for that job and I am happy that I have been reappointed. I will do my work well as I did before I left that court.”