KAMPALA — President Museveni has named three new judges to the Supreme Court, State House has said.
The President has since appointed Justices Christopher Madrama, Elizabeth Musoke and Stephen Musota to join the Supreme Court bench.
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“In the exercise of powers vested in the president by Article 142(i) of the Constitution, I have acting on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission appointed justices of the Supreme Court.”
The Supreme Court of Uganda is the highest judicial organ in Uganda. It derives its powers from Article 130 of the 1995 Constitution.
It is primarily an appellate court with original jurisdiction in only one type of case: a presidential election petition.
The Supreme Court is constituted by the Chief Justice (CJ) who is appointed by the president in consultation with the Judicial Service Commission and not less than ten justices.
He is the head of the Judiciary and he is deputized by the Deputy Chief Justice who heads the Court of Appeal and other justices of the Supreme Court who must not be less than five (5) while hearing an Appeal (this is referred to as the quorum required for the court to hear any matter).
The Supreme Court is headed by the Chief Justice and supported by ten (10) Justices with the following quorum:-
Constitutional Appeal Cases 7 Judges
Criminal Appeal Cases 5 Judges
Civil Appeal Cases 5 Judges
However in the absence of the Chief Justice, the most senior member of the Court presides over the sitting of the Supreme Court.
It sits eight sessions a year with a break of two weeks between sessions to do research and write judgments.
It has powers to uphold decisions from the lower courts, reverse them and to substitute judgments or to order for a new trial.
The procedure, powers and jurisdiction of the Supreme Court are regulated by the Supreme Court rules.
President Museveni has also appointed the NRM director for legal affairs Oscar Kihiika to the Court of Appeal.
The names have since been sent to parliament for vetting.
