SEARCH STARTS FOR NEW EA COURT REGISTRAR

A search for a new Registrar of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) has started.

The post fell vacant following the recent end of tenure of Yufnalis Okubo from Kenya after attaining the age of 60.

The President of the Court Justice Nestory Kayobera said all the East African Community (EAC) partner states are aware of the process. 

The Registrar is the chief administrator of the Court and can as well perform judicial functions.

He or she is appointed by the EAC Council of Ministers, an authoritative organ of the Community. 

Retired Judge John Ruhangisa from Tanzania was the first Registrar of the Court from 2001 before he was appointed Judge of the High Court in 20014.

The position is held on rotation basis among the EA states and, therefore, candidates from Tanzania and Kenya are technically blocked this time around.

Justice Kayobera was speaking in Arusha after the swearing in of Ms Christine Mutimura-Wekesa as the new Deputy Registrar of the Court. 

Rule 8(2) of the EACJ Rules of Procedure allows the Registrar to delegate his or her functions to a Deputy Registrar.  

Before her new appointment, Ms. Mutimura from Rwanda previously served in the EAC Secretariat as Senior Legal Officer of the Community secretariat.

The Judge President said that the Court would uphold its independence while serving East Africans by ensuring adherence to law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the EAC Treaty.   

EACJ is one of the three organs of the Community; the others being the EAC secretariat and the East African Legislative Assembly  (Eala).

Justice Kayobera said the Office of the Registrar was a high judicial office that should not be taken lightly and that was why the search for a suitable candidate was on.

David Sigano, the acting CEO of the East African Law Society (EALS) decried the ad hoc nature of judges serving the Court.

He said most of the judges were not resident in Arusha, compromising efficiency in the delivery of justice to the EA citizens.

Calls to have the judges of the regional Court to permanently reside in Arusha have been made countless times in the past.