COURT ABSENTEEISM CRACKDOWN! Chief Justice Zeija Orders Judges, Magistrates to Police ‘Missing’ Colleagues
Chief Justice Dr Flavian Zeija launching the Peer Committees of All Courts as his Deputy Moses Kazibwe Kawumi Looks on in the Middle and Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo (Left).
Chief Justice Dr Flavian Zeija has urged judicial officers to embrace peer supervision as a way of addressing absenteeism, poor performance and other professional shortcomings before they escalate into formal disciplinary action.
Dr Zeija was speaking on Wednesday at the Supreme Court Conference Hall in Kampala during the launch of peer committees within the Judiciary.
The committees are established under Regulations 18 to 21 of the Administration of the Judiciary (Inspectorate of Courts) Regulations, 2023, and are intended to enable judicial officers to advise, counsel and support colleagues whose conduct or performance falls below expected professional standards.
Dr Zeija said peer supervision should strengthen integrity, accountability, professional discipline and public confidence in the Judiciary.
He said reforms introduced under the Administration of the Judiciary Act, 2020, including an increase in the number of judicial officers, improved terms of service and strengthened institutional capacity, have also raised public expectations of the Judiciary.
However, he said his visits to courts across the country had revealed cases of absenteeism, poor performance and conduct inconsistent with the judicial code of conduct.
Dr Zeija cited a visit to Amudat, where he said he found a judicial officer who had reportedly been away from court for about a month and had left the court keys with a cleaner at the State Attorney’s chambers.
He also recalled instances where court users had become accustomed to judicial officers reporting late for work, with some magistrates reportedly arriving at court around midday.
The Chief Justice said such conduct delays the administration of justice and undermines public confidence in the Judiciary.
He said peer committees should allow judicial officers to intervene early when they notice a colleague struggling with professional, personal or other challenges.
“Peer committees should not be used for witch-hunting, victimisation or gossip,” Dr Zeija said, urging members to use them as a mechanism for counselling, professional support and accountability.
He cited alcohol and drug abuse as examples of challenges that may require treatment and support rather than immediate disciplinary action.
Dr Zeija said colleagues are often better placed to identify such problems and encourage affected judicial officers to seek help, particularly where an officer may fear that admitting to a problem could expose them to disciplinary action.
He also urged the committees to pay attention to the mental health and general wellbeing of judicial officers, saying personal stress and other challenges can affect professional performance and decision-making.
The Chief Justice warned that corruption, laziness and chronic absenteeism damage the reputation of the entire Judiciary.
He said judicial officers are often the first to know when a colleague is regularly absent or failing to meet performance targets and should therefore play an active role in addressing such conduct.
However, Dr Zeija cautioned members of the peer committees to lead by example.
He said committee members cannot effectively correct colleagues for misconduct while engaging in similar behaviour themselves.
He directed the committees to identify performance gaps and training needs, organise appropriate training and keep records of their activities.
Dr Zeija said he expects the committees to submit comprehensive quarterly reports on their activities and results.
Justice Stephen Musota, the Chief Inspector of Courts, said the committees were constituted in February 2026 and bring together judicial officers of the same rank and geographical location.
He said the committees are intended to strengthen collegiality, accountability and mentorship by providing judicial officers with a structured platform to share experiences, address professional challenges and maintain high standards of conduct and performance.
Justice Musota said the initiative would reinforce discipline and ethical practice while promoting fairness, efficiency and integrity in the administration of justice.
Lady Justice Monica Mugenyi, Chairperson of the Judiciary Integrity Committee, said the idea of peer committees dates back to the Sixth Annual Judges’ Conference held in January 2003, when the Judiciary resolved to strengthen judicial integrity and accountability.
She said the initiative has now been formally institutionalised under the 2023 regulations.
Justice Mugenyi emphasised that the committees are not disciplinary bodies or “grilling chambers”, but platforms for ethical oversight, professional accountability and mentorship.
She said the committees will advise colleagues on judicial integrity, independence and professional conduct, support judicial officers facing case-management challenges and promote their wellbeing and collegiality.
Under the regulations, each peer committee should have no more than seven Judiciary staff members of the same rank and geographical location, including a chairperson and secretary.
Their responsibilities include counselling colleagues whose conduct is considered unbecoming, guiding judicial officers on appropriate professional conduct, promoting integrity, holding meetings, submitting reports and making recommendations to the Registrar and Inspectorate of Courts.
The committees are also required to encourage judicial officers to uphold the relevant codes of conduct and may perform other duties assigned by the Chief Inspector of Courts.
The Judiciary expects the initiative to contribute to reducing case backlogs, strengthening institutional integrity and improving public confidence in the justice system.
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