By Fred Kiva
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire says judicial officers should be seen as only mediators between two opposing views and not as part of the conflict.
The Minister was on Tuesday delivering a statement at Uganda Media Centre following last Friday’s chaos at Buganda Road Court in which a mineral water bottle was thrown at Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu as she sentenced Academic and Research Dr Stella Nyanzi to 18 months in jail.
Dr. Nyanzi was convicted of cyber harassment after she used her social media to attack President Museveni and his late mother, Esteri Kokundeka. Dr Nyanzi's enraged supporters protested the sentence in court with one of them hurling a water bottle at the magistrate. The court session was plunged into mayhem. Six of the protesters have since been arrested and charged with contempt of court.
Minister Otafiire condemned the hooliganism exhibited at court, emphasizing that such scenarios should not be allowed to reoccur.
”It’s the norm in a sane and democratic society, acts of violence like that we saw in court last week through the noise made during the court session and pelting of a bottle at the Magistrate shouldn’t be tolerated anywhere near our temples of justice,” the Minister said.
He noted that it’s unfortunate that some sections of society support the “barbaric act,” while political party leaders and functions want to advance their cause through unaccepted means under the guise of exercise of their constitutional right. The laws of Uganda from the 1995 Constitution Article 128 and Judicature Act Section 14 guarantee the independence of the Judiciary and also implore the Courts of Law to act in conformity with the doctrines of equity.
