Zeija Launches Peer Committees to Strengthen Judicial Accountability

What the report says

Chief Justice Flavian Zeija has launched Peer Committees across Uganda’s Judiciary in an effort to strengthen integrity, accountability and professional conduct among judicial officers. The announcement was made at the Supreme Court Conference Hall in Kampala, according to Nile Post. Zeija said the committees are intended to support peer oversight within everyday work settings, helping colleagues address concerns such as absenteeism, lateness and other conduct issues before they develop into formal disciplinary cases.

The committees operate under Regulations 18 to 21 of the Administration of the Judiciary (Inspectorate of Courts) Regulations, 2023. Nile Post reported that they are tasked with promoting compliance with the Uganda Code of Judicial Conduct, the Judiciary Service Code of Conduct and the Public Service Code of Conduct. Zeija described their reactivation as a step toward stronger self-regulation, institutional excellence and quality assurance.

According to the report, the Chief Justice said similar committees had existed before but later became inactive, creating a need to revive them in order to reinforce professional standards and public confidence. He argued that accountability should not rely only on the centralized Inspectorate of Courts, but should also be encouraged through collegial support and mutual responsibility among judicial officers.

The initiative matters because it reflects an internal effort to protect the Judiciary’s reputation and improve service delivery. As a general matter, peer-review or peer-accountability systems are often used in public institutions to reinforce standards, though the specific framework here is the Judiciary’s own regulatory structure, as reported by Nile Post.