The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has raised concerns over the appointment of justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi as deputy chief justice and Agnes Alum as chief registrar of the judiciary.
In a statement issued by ULS vice president Anthony Asiimwe, the lawyers’ body said the appointments were made while constitutional challenges regarding the legality of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) remain unresolved.
Asiimwe said that although the ULS does not oppose the filling of key judicial vacancies, the appointments could face legal challenges because Constitutional Petition No. 11 of 2025 and Constitutional Application No. 12 of 2025 are still pending before the Constitutional court.
“These matters directly challenge the legality of the composition and operations of the Judicial Service Commission, the constitutionality of the Judicial Service Act as amended, the 2025 Judicial Service Regulations, and the validity of all recruitment and appointment processes flowing therefrom,” Asiimwe said.
The ULS argues that the current composition and operations of the JSC contravene Article 146 of the Constitution because the commission allegedly lacks duly nominated representatives from the Uganda Law Society.
“We call upon the court to expedite the hearing and determination of the aforementioned constitutional matters, as well as Civil Appeals 98 and 99 of 2025, which were arbitrarily removed from the Court of Appeal cause list in July 2025, delaying the election of ULS nominees to the JSC,” Asiimwe said.
“Until these matters are resolved, any appointments made risk being tainted by the very defects complained of, thereby eroding public confidence in the judiciary and exposing the appointees to unnecessary legal challenge,” he added.
According to the lawyers’ body, any recommendations made by the JSC without ULS representation risk being declared null and void.
The ULS further warned that proceeding with senior judicial appointments before the constitutional questions are determined undermines judicial legitimacy, constitutionalism and public confidence in the judiciary.
The society also urged the Constitutional court to urgently hear and determine the pending constitutional matters together with Civil Appeals 98 and 99 of 2025, which it said were removed from the Court of Appeal cause list in July 2025, delaying the election of ULS nominees to the JSC.
ULS maintained that it remains committed to defending judicial independence, merit-based appointments and constitutionalism.
Constitutional justice in this country seems to be passing through some sort of a military gangster laundering process so that at the end of the day, Uganda universal justice could end up as legitimate justice in the public arena world wide!! This indeed is very unfortunate to be happening to an African independent sovereign country of Uganda!
A poor African country that is one of the poorest in the world for its medicine to cure it from that poverty is not very educated judges and lawyers. The saying goes that the opposite of poverty is not wealthy and high wages of judicial staff! It is justice. “Justice must not only be done, but must also be seen to be done” is a foundational legal principle emphasizing that for public confidence, justice must appear fair and impartial, not just be fair in fact. The educated legal saying goes that even if a court clerk being involved with a party in the case can invalidate a decision!!!
You are just seeing the official transfer of power to a military. All the top offices soon will be occupied by military officials. WHY? Silent transitional coup d’état.
Reason Uganda educated MUST help Ugandans to stop being tribalists tribally divided ruled by Rwandese Musevceni & UNITE under just ONE of them, to block & stop this inhumanity going on to 45 years+++++++++++++++++!
It was the useless parliament that ensured Rwandese Museveni remains the only owner, ruler or Uganda through fake elections for life! But Ugandans, through just NO to the tribalistic system & UNITY will have thed POWER tostop him then form the kind of governance they want, without war!
What are Ugandans waiting for?