KAMPALA — Daphine Ayebare has been elected the new president of the Uganda Judicial Officers Association (UJOA), taking over leadership of the influential judicial body at a time when Uganda’s Judiciary continues to face growing scrutiny over integrity, efficiency and access to justice.
Ayebare was elected during the association’s Annual General Meeting held at the Supreme Court in Kampala on Friday. The gathering brought together judicial officers from across the country under the theme “Professional Excellence, Unity and Compassion.”
Her election marks another milestone for women within Uganda’s Judiciary, following the historic election of Olive Kazaarwe Mukwaya as UJOA’s first female president in 2024.
Before being elected president, Ayebare served as vice president of the association, where she worked alongside Justice Kazaarwe in advocating for judicial officers’ welfare, professional development and institutional unity.
Ayebare is regarded within legal circles as an experienced and disciplined judicial officer, having served in Uganda’s magistracy for several years while handling both criminal and civil matters.
Her new role places her at the centre of ongoing conversations surrounding Uganda’s justice system, including concerns over case backlog, delayed justice, inadequate funding for courts and allegations of corruption affecting some judicial officers.
Speaking during the meeting, Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo, who represented Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, urged judicial officers to uphold integrity and resist external interference while carrying out their duties.
“The Judiciary must remain independent, professional and people-centred,” Abodo told delegates at the meeting.
She emphasized that public trust in the Judiciary depends heavily on the conduct, fairness and professionalism of judicial officers across all levels of the court system.
In her acceptance speech, Ayebare pledged to strengthen unity among judicial officers and continue advocating for improved welfare and better working conditions for magistrates, registrars and other court officials.
She also committed to strengthening engagement between UJOA leadership and Judiciary administrators to address challenges affecting service delivery within the justice sector.
During the same elections, Chief Magistrate Conrad Obol Oroya was elected vice president of the association.
The Uganda Judicial Officers Association serves as the umbrella body representing magistrates, registrars and other judicial officers across the country. The association plays a central role in advocating for members’ welfare, professional standards and reforms aimed at strengthening Uganda’s justice system.
Ayebare’s election comes at a critical moment as the Judiciary seeks to rebuild public confidence amid increasing pressure from citizens, civil society groups and legal observers demanding greater accountability, transparency and efficiency in the courts.