Judiciary to publish performance reports of individual

________________ The judiciary will begin publishing individual performance reports of all judicial officers on its website in a move aimed at enhancing accountability, transparency and public confidence in the administration of justice. Chief Justice Dr Flavian Zeija announced the new move while presiding as the chief guest at the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) annual stakeholders' forum held at the Supreme Court Conference Hall in Kampala on Friday, July 10. "Non-performance will no longer be tolerated. We are going to start publishing the individual performance reports of all judicial officers so that the public gets to know who is taking their money for free. There is no room for corrupt elements in the justice system, nor do we have room for laziness and mediocrity," he said. Zeija argued that the publication of the individual judicial officers' performance reports will provide greater transparency on the output of judicial officers while supporting the judiciary's broader agenda of improving efficiency, reducing case backlogs and enhancing access to justice. The Chief Justice also announced plans to integrate the judiciary's Performance Enhancement Tool (PET) with the JSC systems to ensure that the recruitment, promotion and management of judicial officers becomes increasingly informed by objective performance data. He said the integration would enable the JSC to access judicial officers' performance records during promotion processes while also allowing the PET recruitment portal to interface with the commission's systems, thereby improving efficiency and eliminating duplication. "The Judicial Service Commission has a duty to ensure that only those with proven merit ascend the bench. This is the first non-negotiable step towards transforming justice delivery in the country," he said. He said continuous performance evaluation would become a key feature of judicial administration, with officers expected to meet established standards while those who consistently underperform will face appropriate disciplinary action. Zeija emphasised that transforming justice delivery requires merit, accountability and innovation, commending JSC for maintaining merit-based recruitment. He urged the commission to continue appointing judicial officers with integrity, legal competence, emotional intelligence and sound moral character. The Chief Justice called for stronger collaboration among administration of justice institutions, including the judiciary, JSC, office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Police, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs and the Uganda Law Society (ULS) to address systemic challenges contributing to case backlog and prolonged pre-trial detention. He also advocated for joint public engagement initiatives through court open days, radio programmes and other outreach activities to improve public awareness and confidence in the justice system.