Uganda has been elected to lead the East African Magistrates and Judges Association (EAMJA) for the term of 2022–2024.
The election took place on Thursday, November 10th , 2022, during the 19th Conference and General Meeting being held in Kigali, Rwanda.
Justice John Eudes Keitirima, the head of the Family Division of the High Court of Uganda, was elected unopposed as the association President.
Keitirima had previously served as the vice President of the association.
“Uganda has been elected to lead the East African Magistrates and Judges Association for 2022-2024. Justice John Eudes Keitirima, who was unopposed, was voted as President of the Association,” tweeted Judiciary Uganda.
Sophia Wamburu, the outgoing President of the Regional Judicial Officers’ body from Tanzania handed over to him in a ceremony witnessed by Rwandan Chief Justice, Dr Faustin Ntezilyayo.
The conference was held under the theme “The EAC Courts’ Efficiency in Adjudicating Emerging Cross-Board Issues, Challenges, and Strengths.”
The EAMJA draws membership from the organizational bodies representing magistrates and judges in the three East African countries, namely; Uganda Judicial Officers Association, (UJOA), Kenya Magistrates and Judges’ Association (KMJA) and the Judges and Magistrates Association of Tanzania (JMAT) and recently Judicial Officers from Rwanda was added.
The Association’s mission is to promote, enhance and protect the Rule of Law and accessibility to justice for all through harmonization of judicial systems and development of capacities of judicial officers in East Africa.
The meeting also resolved that the 2023 EAMJA Conference and General meeting shall be hosted by Uganda.