Judges, senior lawyers, and prosecutors on Thursday described retiring Court of Appeal justice Fredrick Egonda-Ntende as “the chief justice Uganda never had,” in recognition of his distinguished contribution to jurisprudence, judicial reforms, constitutionalism, and access to justice.The remarks were made during a special sitting of the Court of Appeal, chaired by Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire, to honour Egonda-Ntende ahead of his retirement from the judiciary after attaining the mandatory retirement age.Egonda-Ntende was widely praised for a judicial career spanning more than four decades in Uganda and international jurisdictions, including Seychelles. Constitutional court justice Cheborion Barishaki told a fully packed courtroom that Egonda-Ntende possessed the qualities many believed suited him for the country’s top judicial office.“In my view, and as senior counsel Kirunda said, you are the chief justice Uganda never had, whom we deserved to have had,” Barishaki said.Before Barishaki’s remarks, senior advocate Robert Kirunda had told the court that many members of the legal fraternity believed Egonda-Ntende’s distinguished jurisprudence, integrity, and administrative record made him worthy of serving as chief justice.“For his excellent jurisprudence and enviable administrative work, some members of the Bar believe justice Egonda-Ntende is the chief justice Uganda never had,” Kirunda said.The special sitting evolved into a celebration not only of Egonda-Ntende’s legal scholarship and judicial reforms, but also of a career many described as defined by courage, humility, discipline, innovation, and unwavering fidelity to constitutionalism and the rule of law.Barishaki praised Egonda-Ntende for shaping Uganda’s jurisprudence through landmark decisions that clarified complex legal questions and expanded access to justice.“My Lord’s tenure on the bench has been a legacy of the development of jurisprudence,” Barishaki said. He added that Egonda-Ntende’s decisions clarified difficult legal issues and would continue guiding access to justice in Uganda and beyond.Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court justices, during the special session to honour justice Fredrick Egonda-NtendeBarishaki particularly credited Egonda-Ntende for spearheading the judiciary’s transition from paper-based systems to digital justice through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS).“One of the biggest achievements the Judiciary has attained is access to justice through the setting up of the Electronic Court Case Management Information System,” he said.He noted that judges no longer require vans to transport files during upcountry sessions because case files are now accessible electronically on laptops from anywhere. According to Barishaki, lawyers can now file court documents remotely without physically visiting registries, significantly easing legal practice and reducing delays.He also praised Egonda-Ntende’s humility and interpersonal conduct, recalling how the judge personally welcomed guests at the gate of his home in Jinja and escorted each visitor to their seat during a luncheon hosted by his wife, Margaret.Lady justice Hellen Obura described Egonda-Ntende as a courageous and humane jurist whose decisions reshaped Uganda’s constitutional and property law jurisprudence.She recalled first encountering his work while serving as a state attorney in the Attorney General’s chambers during the landmark Osotrako Ltd Vs Uganda case. In that case, the court heard that Egonda-Ntende ruled that Section 51 of the Government Proceedings Act, which shielded government from eviction orders, had to be interpreted subject to the 1995 Constitution and Article 26 on the property right.Obura said the ruling initially shocked government lawyers.“We immediately resolved that an appeal should be filed, and we were persuaded beyond a reasonable doubt that the judge had got it wrong,” Obura recalled.“While in shock and dismay, the Court of Appeal agreed with Justice Egonda-Ntende and upheld it,” she added.According to Obura, the judgment fundamentally disrupted long-standing government litigation practices in which technicalities were routinely used to defeat claims against the state. She said it was only after she became a judge and later worked closely with Egonda-Ntende that she fully appreciated the depth of his judicial philosophy and commitment to justice.“My Lord, your mature, humane, and high sense of justice gave you the confidence to venture into uncharted waters,” she said.Obura also praised his concise judgments, prompt delivery of decisions, and balanced approach to criminal justice.“Whenever we wanted a higher sentence, he would quickly remind us that even one day in prison is bad enough,” Obura said.She explained that Egonda-Ntende believed sentencing should serve both retribution and rehabilitation. Supreme court justice Christopher Izama Madrama, who broke down in tears before concluding his remarks, focused on Egonda-Ntende’s transformative contribution to judicial technology and access to legal information.Madrama described him as the principal intellectual force behind Uganda’s Electronic Court Case Management System, launched in 2022.“He moved us from paper dockets to digital files, completely eradicating chronic issues of lost files and delayed proceedings,” Madrama said.The reforms introduced electronic filing, automated SMS and email notifications, and remote access to court services. He also revealed Egonda-Ntende’s role in founding the Uganda Legal Information Institute (ULII), which democratised legal information by providing free online access to court decisions.He said Egonda-Ntende’s influence extended far beyond Uganda through his service as chief justice of Seychelles and as a United Nations judge in Kosovo and East Timor.“He is a local advocate from Jinja who became a global authority on international criminal law,” Madrama said.“He is a traditional jurist who mastered the complexities of telecommunications law. He is a reformer who redeemed the judiciaries of two different nations.”Madrama said Egonda-Ntende combined intellectual brilliance with exceptional integrity and ethical leadership.“In an era where judicial independence is often under threat, he remained true to the highest creed of humanity and fidelity to his oath,” he said.Director of public prosecutions (DPP), Lino Anguzu, credited Egonda-Ntende with reshaping prosecutorial thinking in Uganda. Anguzu said the judge consistently reminded prosecutors that their role was not merely to secure convictions, but to uphold constitutionalism, fairness, legality, and public confidence in justice.“Justice Egonda-Ntende repeatedly taught that criminal prosecution draws legitimacy not from severity alone, but from due process, timeliness, and the rule of law,” Anguzu said.He cited several landmark rulings in which Egonda-Ntende condemned delayed prosecutions, abuse of court process, torture, and unjustified denial of bail. According to Anguzu, the judge’s jurisprudence fundamentally changed prosecutorial conduct in Uganda.“Today, because of justice Egonda-Ntende’s influence, prosecutors approach human rights compliance with much greater seriousness,” Anguzu said.“He taught us that a conviction secured through abuse weakens justice rather than strengthens it.”Kirunda described Egonda-Ntende as one of the most disciplined and principled judges before whom he had ever appeared. Kirunda recounted first meeting him in 2003 while still a university student researching constitutional interpretation.“He asked me what it takes to succeed in private practice,” Kirunda recalled. “His answer was simple: lawyers come to court with very good cases but are often unprepared.” Kirunda narrated how he once appeared before Egonda-Ntende in 2009 seeking an adjournment in a matter he had not adequately prepared for.“He gave me five minutes. When he returned, the application was dismissed,” Kirunda said.“I have done my best never to appear in court unprepared ever since.” Kirunda praised Egonda-Ntende’s contribution across constitutional law, family law, criminal law, civil procedure, human rights law, and international law. “He embodied judicial fidelity in its truest sense,” Kirunda said. In his own remarks, Justice Egonda-Ntende expressed gratitude to God, his family, colleagues, and friends who supported him throughout his judicial journey.He paid special tribute to his wife Margaret, revealing that he had initially wanted to reject appointment to the High court in 1991 because judicial salaries were far lower than his earnings in private legal practice.“I was inclined to decline the offer because it meant taking a significant cut in income from a successful legal practice,” he said.“She encouraged me to accept despite the immediate consequences and agreed to counter the adverse effects.”He also credited his wife for introducing him to computers in the early 1990s, an experience that later inspired his passion for information technology within the Judiciary. Reflecting on judicial independence, Egonda-Ntende recounted acts of courage by former judicial officers during Idi Amin’s regime, particularly former chief magistrate Kityo and former chief justice Samuel Wako Wambuzi.He praised them for defending judicial independence against executive interference at great personal risk.“If it were in my power, I would rename Buganda Road court after magistrate Kityo and the Supreme court building after S.W. Wambuzi,” he said.In one of the most emotional moments of his speech, Egonda-Ntende criticized prolonged pretrial detention and urged judicial officers to prioritise constitutional rights and humanity in the justice system.He narrated how he was emotionally hurt by the situation of remanded National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy spokesperson Waiswa Mufumbiro, who was denied bail by the court to join his children to bury his wife, who succumbed to cancer.He said the court ought to have exercised emotional maturity since the accused has not yet been convicted and is still on trial over what he called a minor offence. Egonda-Ntende urged judicial officers to remain steadfast and principled in the administration of justice.“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, think about such things,” he said.The court erupted into prolonged laughter when Egonda-Ntende humorously compared himself to a football player frequently loaned by the “Team justice managers” to other clubs.He revealed that he had once discussed his delayed promotion with “the chief,” who reportedly told him he never wanted to weaken the High court by elevating him whenever colleagues were promoted to higher courts.According to Egonda-Ntende, he remained content despite the delay and jokingly described himself as the longest-serving High court judge in recent memory.The post Fredrick Egonda-Ntende: The chief justice Uganda never had appeared first on The Observer.