By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu,
MBARARA
Chief Justice Owiny Dollo has advised members of the radical bar to engage the judiciary through constructive dialogue rather than resorting to aggressive tactics. He emphasized that making noise only distracts judges, who may then focus on the commotion rather than the issues at hand. While acknowledging that criticism is valuable, he stressed that the approach matters. “If you approach me as an enemy, I can’t give you time, but through constructive criticism, we can learn a lot,” he noted.
Chief Justice Owiny Dollo also warned judicial officers, particularly judges, against delivering judgments based on the legal opinions of their assistants. He made these remarks during his opening speech at the four-day annual retreat for Supreme Court and Court of Appeal justices, held at Las Vegas Garden Hotel in Mbarara City.
He expressed concern over reports of judges delivering judgments that certain lawyers later claim as their own. He also criticized NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, for using the late Kawempe North MP’s burial ceremony to criticize judges who denied Ssegirinya bail while he was ill.
The Chief Justice appealed to judicial officers to prioritize delivering quality judgments over focusing on the quantity of judgments. He explained that the decision to hold retreats upcountry is to avoid distractions. In Kampala, judicial officers often rush to their offices to sign documents, missing important messages. Additionally, staying at home in Kampala can lead to engagements that detract from the retreat’s purpose of fostering informal brainstorming and team-building.
He likened the retreat to those held by Catholic priests and parliament, emphasizing that such gatherings are meant for brainstorming, self-reflection, and learning from one another.
Chief Justice Owiny Dollo concluded by urging judicial officers to stand their ground against unfounded attacks from the leadership of the Radical New Bar, ensuring that justice continues to be served without descending into the arena.
The Retreat is organized by the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), and has brought together all Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, as well as Judges of the High Court from the Mbarara Circuit.
Present are retired Justices who are facilitating at the Retreat, Registrars from the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, as well as select staff from those Courts.
The Retreat will cover an array of topics, including: Collegiality in the Workplace, Collegiality in Judgment Writing, Appellate Judgment Writing Skills Integrity in the Higher Appellate Courts, Team Building, Formalisation and Institutionalization of Appellate Mediation, Funding and Facilitation of Appellate Courts, Review of the Rules of Higher Appellate Courts among others.
