Judges remuneration to be increased.

Ugandan Judges will soon have their salaries revised if the proposed new scale by the Ministry of Justice is to be approved by Parliament. 

The move is aimed at ensuring that the Judges are at the same level with other Judges in the other East African Community member states.

While appearing before the Legal and Parliamentary affairs Commitee of Parliament to answer queries on the appointment of new Judges, Justice Minister Gen. Kahinda Otafiire presented a proposed new salary structure for the financial year 2013/2014 which will see the Chief Justice's pay increased from the current shs.5.8 million to shs.40 million and that of the Deputy Chief Justice increased shs.34 million up from shs.5.3 million. 

The Principal Judge, who earns about Shs.5m per month today, will see their pay increased to Shs.32.2 million by July.  

Supreme Court Justices, who currently earn Shs.4.9million, will receive Shs.29.6m and the Judges at the Court of Appeal will be paid Shs.28.1m up from Shs.4.7million.

High Court Justices, who earn Shs.4.5m, will get Shs.26million.

MPs on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee said better pay for judicial officers is expected to translate into higher motivation and also help in the fight again the growing vice of Corruption in the Country.

Compared to other East African Countries, Ugandan Judges are poorly paid and this has been instrumental in increasing embezzlement and corruption in the Judiciary.

Asked on the current composition of the Judiciary, Otafiire said President Yoweri Musevi had appointed new Judges to fill up the vacant posts in the Judiciary and that the names will soon be forwarded to Parliament for vetting and subsequent approval.

There have been complaints over the limited number of Judges both of the Court of Appeal, The Supreme Court High Court and other lower courts.