Justice Bart Magunda Katureebe, has retired as Uganda’s Chief Justice after five years of service.
Katureebe was appointed Chief Justice in March 2015, replacing Benjamin Odoki.
In his short letter of appreciation to stakeholders, Justice Katureebe who officially retired on Friday revealed that he is satisfied that he has managed to achieve many things as Chief Justice. He however, acknowledged that a lot more still needs to be done, particularly in the reduction of case backlog.
“I wish to take this opportunity to thank you all collectively and individually for the cooperation and support you have rendered to me, and the Judiciary as an institution during my tenure in office. It has indeed been a great honour and privilege to work with you all. “I believe that together we have registered some achievements in the Administration of Justice in the Country. I would urge all to extend the same support to the in-coming Chief Justice,” said Justice Katureebe.
Who is Justice Katureebe?
Bart Magunda Katureebe was born on 20 June 1950, in Rugazi Village, Rubirizi District in the Western Region of Uganda to Yowana Magunda and Virginia Ngonzi.
He went to Rugazi Primary School for his elementary schooling from 1957 until 1962. He then went to St. Joseph Junior Secondary School in Mbarara from 1963 to 1964, and Kitunga High School in Ntungamo District for his O-Level from 1965 until 1968.
He attended Namilyango College, an all-boys boarding school in Mukono District, for his A-Level education from 1969 to 1970.
Four years later, he graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor of Laws degree. He went on to receive a Diploma in Legal practice from the Law Development Centre in Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city.
From 1975 until 1983, Katureebe worked as a state attorney in the Ministry of Justice. From 1983 until 1988, he practiced law in a private setting.
From 1988 until 1991, he served as the deputy minister for regional cooperation, then deputy minister of industry and technology (1991 to 1992), and State Minister for Health and a member of the National Resistance Council, a legislative body at that time (1992 to 1996). From 1994 until 1995, he was the elected member of the Constituent Assembly representing Bunyaruguru County, Rubirizi District.
From 1996 until 2001, Katureebe served as the minister of justice, constitutional affairs and attorney general. He went back to private practice in 2001, starting his own law firm Kampala Associated Advocates.
In 2005, Katureebe was appointed chairman, board of directors, New Vision Printing and Publishing Company Limited. He also served as a director at Standard Chartered bank and National Insurance Corporation. He was appointed to the Supreme court in 2005 and during his decade-long tenure in the highest court of the land, Katureebe is one of the judges that modified the development of Uganda’s jurisprudence.
On 5 March 2015, he was appointed chief justice.
Katureebe is a married father of six children. He is a member of the Judicial Service Commission.
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