Museveni rejects Justice Kisakye’s early retirement
President Museveni has rejected Justice Esther Kitimbo Kisakye’s early retirement, saying granting her would preempt the work of the Judiciary Commission of Inquiry or tribunal.
It should be noted that Justice Kisakye and the Chief Justice, Alfonse Owinyi-Dollo, were involved in a scuffle when Owinyi-Dollo confiscated her file during the 2021 presidential election petition, stopping her from reading her decision about the matter. A hot conflict between the two ensued and was followed by a law suit in which Kisakye accused Owinyi-Dollo and Judiciary permanent secretary Pius Bigirimana of withholding her salary.
In a letter dated October 2, 2023, written by the President after receiving her request to retire from judicial service, Museveni said that he would not follow her wishes and that a decision would be made after the inquiry had been concluded.
“I have received your letter dated July 18, 2023, tendering in your early retirement. As per the law, I cannot obstruct your wishes. Doing so would preempt the work of the Judiciary Commission of Inquiry. Apparently, you made some strong statements against the Chief Justice. Either those statements were right or wrong. It is the Inquiry that can conclude that. It is after that that the way forward will be clear for you,” the letter read.
Early this year, Justice Kisakye wrote a letter dated July 18, 2023, to the President, tendering her early retirement.
Kisaakye said that Museveni appointed her to serve as a justice of the Supreme Court on October 12, 2009, and by the time she wrote the letter, she had served in the Supreme Court for 13 years and ten months.
“Article 144(1) of the Constitution of Uganda permits a judicial officer to retire at any time after attaining the age of sixty years. I am now 63 years old. In accordance with the said article, I hereby tender my early retirement from the Supreme Court,” the letter read.
She added, “I thank you and the people of Uganda for having given me the opportunity to serve my country as a justice of the Supreme Court.”
Below is the letter: