Principal Judge Flavian Zeija has transferred 13 judges in the latest deployment in the Judiciary.
Seven of the justices were redeployed to their previous stations following petitions requesting for due reconsideration of their transfers made last December by then Principal Judge, Justice Dr. Yorokamu Bamwine.
Then, Justice Bamwine deployed the 12 newly appointed judges to different stations and also transferred 21 other judges.
He retired on December 25.
In a circular dated January 23, 2020, Justice Zeija noted that in order there was need to make fresh deployments in some courts in order to attain efficiency.
Most notable of the deployments was the transfer of Justice Joseph Murangira from Mubende where he was the area resident judge to the Family Division of the High Court.
Murangira has come under the spotlight for the way he has handled cases while in Mubende.
Last year, human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza, who is representing 3,000 people facing eviction petitioned the Chief Justice Bart Katureebe to reallocate their case to a different judge, saying Murangira had unfairly sided with George Kaweesi (the person carrying out the evictions), and the Mubende District Police Commander, Martin Okoyo.
In 2016, Justice Katureebe ordered the Judicial Service Commission to investigate Murangira for allegedly causing the disappearance of a criminal court file for eight years.
Seven of the justices were redeployed to their previous stations. These include Justice Musa Ssekaana who was recently transferred to Mbarara returned to the Civil Division while Justice David Matovu returned to Head, Family Division from Fort Portal. Winfred Nabasinde was also redeployed to the Criminal Division from Mpigi Circuit.
Justice Philip Odoki returned to Mpigi from Mukono while Lady Justice Elizabeth Kabanda, who had recently been sent to the Civil Division returned to the Execution and Bailiffs Division of the High Court.
Justice Isaac Muwata’s petition to return from Gulu to Mubende was successful just as that of Lady Justice Margaret Tibulya who returned to the Anti-Corruption Court from the Land Division.
Lady Justice Olive Kazaarwe has been moved from the Family Division to the Land Division of the High Court.
Justice Yasin Nyanzi has been moved from the Criminal Division to the Land Division whereas Justice Tadeo Asiimwe has been moved from the Mbale circuit to Mbarara as the senior resident judge. Godfrey Namundi is the new Senior resident Jugdge of Mbale circuit, having been transferred from the Family Division.
Lady Justice Basaza Waswa who has been at the Execution and Bailiffs Division of the High Court has been sent to the Mukono circuit.
The deployments take immediate effect.
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