Judicial officers will have to wait a little longer before their salaries can be raised as there are more pressing issues, President Yoweri Museveni has revealed.
The president was this morning addressing the 21st annual judges’ conference at Kampala Serena Hotel.
The 4 days conference is running under the theme; “Judicial ethics, integrity and accountability; a precondition for improved access t9o Justice and sustainable development.”
During his speech, the minister for Justice and constitutional affairs Gen. Kahinda Otafiire asked the president to consider raising salaries of Judicial officers.
“The terms of service of Judicial services need to be taken into account. Your excellency I will keep reminding you and through cabinet to look into the plight of Judicial officers who are not allowed to engage in other economic activities by virtue of their appointment” the minister said.
The chief Justice Bart Magunda Katureebe told President Museveni that poor pay of Judicial officers, risks undermining their goal towards fighting corruption. He says a poor pay facilitates corrupt officers.
“Poor remuneration of judicial officers has been highlighted your excellency as we have continued to do. Last year for the first time we had industrial action in the judiciary, fortunately the situation was addressed and we hope that government will honor its undertaking to the judiciary. Otherwise the poor pay of judicial officers and poor facilitation risk undermining the Judiciary and national efforts towards the fight against corruption” The Chief Justice noted.
However, the president told judges to hold their requests so he can first pay scientists who are most needed people in the economy.
“On the issue of remuneration, my opinion is well known. It should be the one who is most needed that should get the first call on the scarce resources. The ones who are most needed are scientists, then the next category would be the Judicial officers because we have added a burden on them saying don’t do any other business so he doesn’t have the latitude of the other people who are surviving” the president noted.
