Uganda’s judiciary is facing heavy criticism from members of parliament, who accuse it of failing to deliver fair and timely justice. During a recent budget presentation for the 2025/26 financial year, where the judiciary requested Shs434 billion, lawmakers shifted focus from financial matters to pressing concerns about the declining quality of justice. The MPs, particularly those on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, expressed frustration over delayed bail decisions, prolonged judgments, and a worsening relationship between lawyers and judges.

Bugweri County MP Abdul Katuntu led the charge, questioning whether the judiciary was truly satisfied with its performance. “Are you comfortable with the quality of justice you are dispensing? Do you think the people of Uganda are happy?” he asked. Katuntu also criticized the high number of people held on remand, calling the situation unacceptable. “The figures on remand are despicable. You don’t know the injustice you caused to the people,” he said. He further questioned why cases drag on for years, with courts taking weeks just to decide on bail applications. “Why look for witnesses 15 years later? There is a problem. And we lose morale. What explains the backlog? Very few Ugandans are happy with you. Why adjourn a case for two weeks to decide on bail? That’s madness,” he added.

Busiro East legislator Medard Sseggona echoed these concerns, particularly on the issue of delayed bail rulings. He argued that courts should not aid the state in keeping people locked up unnecessarily. “You adjourn a bail application. Every person is free. Why aid the state to incarcerate people? We don’t want the protests to come to you in court,” Sseggona said. He shared his own experience, revealing that he was on bail but his case file had not been reviewed. “I am on bail and not discharged, but the court doesn’t see my file. Quality of justice,” he stated.

Another major issue raised was the practice of “judgment on notice,” where courts delay delivering verdicts indefinitely. The MPs argued that this creates uncertainty and undermines public trust in the justice system. “Judgment on notice. We want to ban this by law. This means when I wish or feel like. It creates certainty for justice. You can’t just say judgment on notice and sit for years and years,” an MP said. They warned that such delays could push lawyers into unethical practices as they struggle to get justice for their clients.

The deteriorating relationship between lawyers and judges was also highlighted as a serious concern. MPs questioned why the judiciary’s leadership had not taken steps to resolve the growing tension. “Bar bench relationship. You need to sort out this mess. Where is the problem and why is the relationship deteriorating? Can’t the leadership of the judiciary try to sort this out?” an MP asked.

Promotions within the judiciary also came under scrutiny, with MPs pointing out that some judges have remained in the same positions for over 15 years without advancement. They questioned whether acting judges were being treated fairly and whether some judges were favoring the prosecution in cases. “When you sit in the judicial chair, do you sit as a neutral person or because CID has not done their job? Why do you favor prosecution? And keep adjourning matters on unreasonable decisions?” Katuntu asked.

In response, Pius Bigirimana, the permanent secretary to the judiciary, apologized for individual failures but defended the institution as a whole. “We apologise for some of those things that are for individuals and they are regrettable,” he said.

The strong criticism from MPs reflects growing public dissatisfaction with Uganda’s judicial system. Lawmakers have vowed to take legislative action to address the issues, signaling that the judiciary must improve its operations or face stricter oversight. As citizens continue to demand timely and fair justice, the pressure on the judiciary to reform has never been greater.