The 21st annual judges conference is ongoing at serena hotel under the theme of integrity and accountability. The Chief guest is President Kaguta Museveni who has officially launched the new judiciary innovations (e-payments of court fees & online legal research solutions ) aimed at enhancing performance and access to justice.
Museveni speaking at the function said that “We are able to defend Uganda and even contribute to regional peace with a budget of $439M a year. On the matte of renumeration , the most needy ( scientists, judicial officers ) should be first priority given the little resources, Am with you (judiciary)on this but we have to strike a balance.
You can not convict me that I only pay salaries and leave roads, electricity and other services. That I can’t agree because it is suicide. We should work according to the need of society as opposed to one who is near the pond”.
“On the issue of understaffing , you are not the only understaffed department , a man who went to the bush with 27 guns and defeated a full army , call me to train you on how to manage scarcity, Let’s remunerate better the ones we have as we find a solution to understaffing”, he went on to say.
According to the world policing standards, you should have one policeman for every 500 population, Uganda with the population of 40 million people, we need a police force of 8000 but we only have 4300.
On the issue of salaries for judicial officers, the President said that, “You can not convict me that I only pay salaries and leave roads, electricity and other services. That I can’t agree because it is suicide. We should work according to the need of society as opposed to one who is near the pond”.
President Museveni has this morning launched new innovations Judiciary is undertaking this year to improve justice delivery.They include toll free lines,performance enhancement tool for officers ,e-payment and Lexus nexus.