Uganda’s judiciary is taking significant steps to strengthen the administration of justice, with the Supreme Court of Uganda set to convene a two-day Constitutional session from March 31 to April 1, 2026, during which 10 key constitutional matters will be heard.
The session will be presided over by panels led by the Chief Justice, Flavian Zeija, alongside a team of senior justices including Lillian Tibatemwa Ekirikubinza, Percy Night Tuhaise, Mike Chibita, Elizabeth Musoke, Stephen Musota, Christopher Madrama Izama, Catherine Bamugemereire, Monica Mugenyi, and Muzamiru Mutangula Kibeedi.
According to the court’s registrar, HW Ayebare Tumwebaze, the session will handle several high-profile cases that seek to clarify important constitutional questions. Among them is the case of Attorney General vs Administrator General (Bob Kasango), which questions whether judicial officers can hold other non-judicial roles, such as Director of Public Prosecutions, without resigning from the judiciary. The matter also includes an application by the Centre for Public Interest Law Ltd to participate as a friend of the court.
Other notable cases include Attorney General vs Dr. Kabumba Busingye & Others, which challenges the appointment of acting High Court judges by the Judicial Service Commission, and Attorney General vs Sundya Muhamudu & Others, where government is seeking clarity on the interpretation of life imprisonment.
Additional petitions to be heard feature organizations such as the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights and the Centre for Constitutional Governance Ltd, highlighting the active role of civil society in shaping constitutional interpretation.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal of Uganda will, on March 31, 2026, hold a special one-day session in Kampala aimed at clearing long-pending criminal appeals.
The session will review 26 cases that have accumulated over time, many of which can no longer proceed due to circumstances such as completion of sentences, deaths of appellants, escapes from custody, or withdrawal of appeals. The exercise is part of ongoing efforts to streamline the court’s docket and improve efficiency in the justice system.
Presided over by Justices Geoffrey Kiryabwire, Moses Kazibwe Kawumi, and Stella Alibateese, the session will also involve key stakeholders including the Uganda Prisons Service, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, members of the Bar, and affected appellants.
According to the Court of Appeal registrar, HW Rukundo Allen Owembabazi, most of the appeals relate to serious offences, with aggravated defilement accounting for the highest number, followed by murder and aggravated robbery.
Judicial officials say both sessions are part of broader reforms aimed at reducing case backlog, strengthening case management, and ensuring timely delivery of justice—an important step toward enhancing public confidence in Uganda’s legal system.
