Supreme Court gets temporary premises

The building on Plot 5, Lourdel Road in Nakasero, Kampala,
that will accommodate the Supreme Court until March next year. 
PHOTO | ISAAC KASAMANI

What you need to know:

  • The court will relocate to a four-storeyed building on Plot 5 Lourdel Road opposite the Health ministry headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala.

The Supreme Court has acquired temporary premises for conducting its litigation business until March next year when it will move into its new permanent home above City Square, which is in its final stages of construction.

The court will relocate to a four-storeyed building on Plot 5 Lourdel Road opposite the Health ministry headquarters in Nakasero, Kampala.

This comes after Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo indefinitely closed the previous premises in Kololo after they became inhabitable due to a fire outbreak in April.

“The process of relocating has started and we expect to hold a session this December,” Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo said by telephone on Friday.

He denied allegations that the institution had bowed to pressure to acquire the premises, saying the process started in August.

“The Supreme Court can’t move within a period of two weeks as some people are saying that we are now bowing to pressure. The process started in August. We initially wanted the court to relocate to the Judicial Training Institute in Nakawa and also to the High Court but both options were not possible,” Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo said.

He added: “Since the initial plan was to move into the new permanent home by end of this year, we kept waiting but due to the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, the delivery of the lifts was delayed, and now we expect to be done with the construction of the new Supreme Court around March next year.”

The court registrar, Ms Harriet Ssali Nalukwago, yesterday said the relocation started on Friday with the registries while the justices’ offices will follow thereafter.

A section of lawyers and litigants had become critical of how judges were earning monthly salaries without working.

Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo confirmed that they have been unable to hear constitutional appeals due to lack of space to accommodate more judges.

In October, Justice Esther Kisaakye,  who sits on the Supreme Court bench, in her petition against the Chief Justice and five others, among other orders, sought declarations by the Constitutional Court to compel the Chief Justice to reopen the Supreme Court and resume hearing of cases.

Other courts moving

Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo also said the High Court divisions of Anti-Corruption and International Crimes are also relocating to Plot 5 Lourdel Road. He said the contract of the current premises has not been renewed since the landlord wanted to repossess them for redevelopment.