Uganda’s Judiciary on Tuesday night formally bid farewell to 86 retired staff, honouring decades of service by both judicial and non-judicial officers in a ceremony that underscored the often unseen and thankless nature of judicial work.
Each retiree received a gift and cash in recognition of their contribution to the administration of justice. Among those honoured were former Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, retired High Court judges Alexandra Nkonge Rugadya and Henrietta Wolayo.
Speaking on behalf of the retired judicial officers, Justice Buteera reflected on the realities of life on the Bench, noting that court decisions rarely leave anyone satisfied.
‘When you enter the court and make a decision, that decision shall displease one of the parties or both of them,’ he said, adding that even in criminal cases, neither convicts nor complainants’ families are always satisfied with sentences passed.
He said the same applies to civil disputes, where rulings over property ownership rarely excite either side. ‘So nobody is excited about our work. That is the kind of work we have been doing; we don’t expect a lot of thanks,’ Justice Buteera said.
He recalled receiving only one personal expression of gratitude throughout his judicial career, while serving as Chief Magistrate in Mubende. He narrated how hunters once helped push his vehicle out of the mud on a rainy evening, and one of them declined payment.
‘He told me he was grateful because I had once acquitted him,’ Justice Buteera said, describing the incident as rare in judicial work.
Justice Buteera commended the Judiciary for organising a collective retirement ceremony, saying it acknowledged the combined effort required to deliver justice.
‘A judgment is a combined effort. There is a driver who brings you to work, someone who cleans the office, and a secretary. So when you say thank you to all of us together, it is a pleasant moment because we are one unit in the Judiciary,’ he said.
Deputy Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, who officiated at the ceremony, described Justice Buteera as a moderating voice in the Judiciary’s leadership and stressed the importance of humility and respect for colleagues.
‘Sometimes we get titles and think it’s the titles that matter. You must always respect the people you work with; they are very important,’ Justice Zeija said, thanking organisers for recognising both judicial and non-judicial staff.
He congratulated the retirees on completing what he described as illustrious careers.
‘We thank you for making your contribution to the motherland, Uganda, and to mankind,’ Justice Zeija said. ‘You leave behind a wealth of experience, footprints in your work, and a lot of jurisprudence that will speak to generations to come.’
Judges of the High Court retire at 65 years, while justices of the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court retire at 70 years.
JUDICIARY
LIST OF RETIRED JUDICIAL AND ADMNISTRATIVE STAFF CALENDER YEAR 2025
NAME TITLE
1 RICHARD BUTEERA DEPUTY CHIEF JUSTICE
2 ALEXANDRA NKONGE RUGADYA JUDGE OF HIGH COURT
3 WOLAYO HENRIETTA JUDGE OF HIGH COURT
4 ESTATE OF THE LATE FAIDHA JAMILAR SENIOR MAGISTRATE GRADE I
5 KITIYO PATRICK MAGISTRATE GRADE I
6 OKIPI JOHN ROBERT MAGISTRATE GRADE II
7 BBOSA CHARLES LUTALO MAGISTRATE GRADE II
8 ABAHWERE FORTUNATE K. MAGISTRATE GRADE II
9 NABUKENYA MIRIAM SENIOR ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT
10 JALUSIGA HOWARD SENIOR ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT
11 GGULUDDENE LAWRENCE MULINDWA ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT
12 MUSOKE DAMALIE ASSISTANT ACCOUNTANT
13 SUNDAY GODFREY ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT
14 GAHIGI DIDAS ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT
15 BYARUHANGA FRANKILINE ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT
16 OKUNI CHARLES COURT CLERK/INTERPRETER
17 SISYE MICHAEL NYANGO COURT CLERK/INTERPRETER
18 SSEBIDDE YAKUBU COURT CLERK/INTERPRETER
19 OSEGE EMMANUEL COURT CLERK/INTERPRETER
20 WAMBI PETER COURT CLERK/INTERPRETER
21 ESTATE OF THE LATE MALINGA JAMES ASSISTANT RECORDS OFFICER
22 OLUPOT RICHARD OCEN OFFICE TYPIST
23 KYARIISMA ZUBEDAH OFFICE TYPIST
24 NAMPIJJA MARGARET OFFICE TYPIST
25 OZUNGA PASTORE TELEPHONE OPERATOR
26 NANSAMBA ROSE KALEMA POOL STENOGRAPHER
27 KITAMIRIKE FRED BWANGA CLERICAL OFFICER
28 NTULUME DANIEL CLERICAL OFFICER
29 BAIGANA CHRIS MWITA CLERICAL OFFICER
30 OCEN NELSON CLERICAL OFFICER
31 APOLLO TWINE CLERICAL OFFICER
32 NABASIRYE REBECCA CLERICAL OFFICER
33 KAVUMA MICHAEL CLERICAL OFFICER
34 NAMUSOBYA IDAH CLERICAL OFFICER
35 FRED SEMPIJJA CLERICAL OFFICER
36 NAKIYINJI PROSSY CLERICAL OFFICER
37 MOHAMED NUNGULI CLERICAL OFFICER
38 AMENYA HELLEN CLERICAL OFFICER
39 NAFUNA OLIVER CLERICAL OFFICER
40 NSEREKO MUSA CLERICAL OFFICER
41 WAKOOLI HARRIET CLERICAL OFFICER
42 NAMBALE MARTIN CLERICAL OFFICER
43 OGWAL FABIO ALAL CLERICAL OFFICER
44 TURWOMWE GEORGE CLERICAL OFFICER
45 NAKABUYE JUSTINE CLERICAL OFFICER
46 KATAIKE DOROTHY CLERICAL OFFICER
47 ARECH PAMELA OMONY CLERICAL OFFICER
48 UKETHWENGU JOEL CLERICAL OFFICER
49 NAKIBONEKA JANE CLERICAL OFFICER
50 AKIA ANN GRACE CLERICAL OFFICER
51 BWAYO WILLIAM EDWIN CLERICAL OFFICER
52 KATO STEPHEN CLERICAL OFFICER
53 KEMIGISHA BLESSED CLERICAL OFFICER
54 OCHAN STEPHEN CLERICAL OFFICER
55 LUWANGULA RONALD CLERICAL OFFICER
56 MUBOGI ELINOR CLERICAL OFFICER
57 AYEBARE JENNIFER CLERICAL OFFICER
58 EYOMA FRANCIS DRABURU CLERICAL OFFICER
59 AKULLO ROBINAH CLERICAL OFFICER
60 NANSUBUGA SAUDA SHABAN CLERICAL OFFICER
61 THEMBO WILLIAM ASANASIO CLERICAL OFFICER
62 EDWEU JOHNSON PETER RECORDS ASSISTANT
63 TINGIRABIGAMBO ODOMARO RECORDS ASSISTANT
64 RUBANGA PETER ONEGI RECORDS ASSISTANT
65 KIBIRANGO JOYCE RECORDS ASSISTANT
66 NYENDE FREDRICK RECORDS ASSISTANT
67 OLEKE DENIS RECORDS ASSISTANT
68 AGARA ONENCAN GEOFFREY RECORDS ASSISTANT
69 ODONGO HUSSEIN OFFICE ATTENDANT
70 NAMUSISI MARGARET OFFICE ATTENDANT
71 AKETCH MIRIA PROCESS SERVER
72 ABEDIGAMBA WILLIAM OYULU PROCESS SERVER
73 ESTATE OF THE LATE SAAKARI SAMUEL CLAUDE PROCESS SERVER
74 KYOSINGIRA STEPHEN KIRIMU- PROCESS SERVER
75 ESTATE OF THE LATE MUKALAZI MARIA PROCESS SERVER
76 MUGADYA SAMUEL ASKARI
77 NAKAWESI FLORENCE ASKARI
78 KIRUNDA CHARLES KAIBANDA DRIVER
79 KABAALE DAVID DRIVER
80 LUYIMBAZI LUYIMA CUTH DRIVER
81 KOMAKECH OTTO JULIUS DRIVER
82 ESTATE OF THE LATE MUKAMUTALA JANE MUHENDA PERSONAL SECRETARY
83 ESTATE OF THE LATE NANYUNJA HARRIET GLENDER ASSISTANT RECORDS OFFICER
84 ESTATE OF THE LATE WATHUM ALEX MACKEY PROCESS SERVER
85 ESTATE OF THE LATE WATEYA EMMANUEL OFFICE ATTENDANT
86 ESTATE OF THE LATE ONZI BOB OFFICE ATTENDANT