Namayingo district in eastern Uganda has officially inaugurated a new three-in-one justice center. This milestone is poised to have a significant impact on the local dispensation of justice, law, and order. The center, constructed at a cost of UGX 1.62 billion, represents a substantial investment in enhancing legal services in the region.
This momentous occasion saw Senior Grade One Magistrate Agnes Nabafu expressing her jubilation as she received the keys to the new court premises. Alongside the court building, a Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) office block and a district-level police station were also handed over to the district.
Situated at the heart of Namayingo district headquarters, these state-of-the-art facilities are designed to play a pivotal role in the local legal landscape, fostering the fair and efficient administration of justice, law enforcement, and maintaining order.
The newly inaugurated court building boasts modern amenities, including a library, a juvenile court, and cells for both juveniles and adults. Simultaneously, the police station now provides a well-equipped office, an interrogation room, and cells featuring flush toilets.
The allocation of funds for these facilities in the 2022-2023 financial year underscores the Judiciary’s commitment to enhancing access to justice in Namayingo and Maracha districts. Notably, Namayingo, with its 13 islands and 65% of its surface area covered by water, presents unique geographical challenges that necessitate a closer justice infrastructure.
Namayingo’s legal journey began with a Grade Two Magistrate Court in 1970, initially located at the former Buyinja county headquarters. Over the years, it has risen in stature to become a Grade One facility. The court had been operating from the Namayingo district council hall, which it inherited from Buyinja sub-county headquarters. The new facilities signal a significant upgrade for the district’s legal services.
The Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had previously been operating from an undisclosed location, highlighting the need for more accessible facilities to serve the local community effectively.
During the handover of the new justice center, the Judiciary’s civil engineer, Peter Owens Okello, stressed the importance of the community’s engagement with the new facilities. He emphasized the rejection of substandard furniture and the directive for the contractor to address identified defects in the three facilities.
Senior Grade One Magistrate Nabafu expressed her commitment to ensuring that the court serves the residents effectively and efficiently. She noted that the new facilities would contribute to reducing the backlog of cases that had accumulated due to limited working days. She also extended her gratitude to the Judiciary for the provision of these facilities, vowing to maintain them to the highest standards.
Namayingo district chairman Ronald Sanya acknowledged the Government’s support for the district and called for the gazetting of Lugala and Sigulu islands courts. This move aims to address the issue of islanders having to travel long distances in search of justice, thereby providing them with easier access to legal services. Additionally, the district is actively seeking about 16 acres of land to facilitate the establishment of a prison and a farm by the Uganda Prisons Services.
Trevor Solomon Baleke, the Namayingo deputy resident district commissioner, cautioned the three agencies against absenteeism now that they have functional offices and warned against any illicit activities, including corruption. Local residents, Stephen Ouma and Constant Ojambo, expressed their gratitude to the Government for the new and spacious courtroom, a significant improvement from the cramped conditions they had previously endured.
