Chief Justice, Bart M. Katureebe, has accepted to be the patron of Makerere University’s School of Law Alumni Association

By Danielle Nalukenge

Bart Katureebe will as well take a centre stage in the School’s planned 50-year celebrations.

The CJ, who will also be the Chief Guest at the Anniversary celebrations, made the revelation on Tuesday while meeting the SOL@50 Anniversary Organising Committee at his Chambers at the High Court in Kampala.

The School of Law will, on October 12, 2018, celebrate 50 years of existence as the premier Law School in Uganda.

The planned events will be used to officially launch the School’s Alumni Association (SOLAA), as well as the commissioning of a mega fundraising drive for an endowment fund.

The School’s Ag. Principal, Dr. Christopher Mbazira, said Justice Katureebe was being accorded the special recognition because he is the first School of Law Alumni to become Chief Justice.

“My Lord, the School is proud to celebrate your achievement as the first Makerere Alumni to ascend to the high office of the Chief Justice of the Republic of Uganda,” Dr. Mbazira said in the engagement, adding that it would be an honour for the CJ to boost the Anniversary plans.

The Chief Justice responded positively to the proposals, including one for the establishment of an Annual Chief Justice’s Day at the School. The CJ would be invited with selected judicial officers to interact with students and staff of the School in teaching and mentoring activities.

“As the School starts on the journey of another 50 years, we would like to forge stronger and collaborative links with the Judiciary. This will enable us harness each other expertise and experiences for the promotion of legal education and access to justice in Uganda,” added Dr. Mbazira.

Other planned activities at the anniversary include a dinner dance, a student’s moot competition to be done in liaison with the Supreme Court, Public lectures as well as a pro-bono legal aid open day at the University.
CJ said efforts would be made internally in the Judiciary to get many Judicial Officers’ participation in the SOL@50years celebrations.

Vision Group CEO, Robert Kabushenga, who heads the committee’s fundraising, asked the Chief Justice to team-up with the speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga; Attorney General, William Byaruhaga; and other SOL Alumnis in high places, to fundraise for the School.

“My Lord, my request is that the three of you help us talk to President Museveni to give us a new building at the School of Law,” said Kabushenga, a proposal to which the Chief Justice concurred with.

Rtd. High Court Judge, Lameck N. Mukasa, who went through the School of Law in 1976, chairs the SOL@50 Organising Committee.

He was however, represented in the CJ meeting by the Committee’s Alternate Chairperson, Mr. Barnabas Tumusingize. Other members present in the meeting were Dr. Ronald Naluwairo, Dr. Maria Nassali and Harriet Musinguzi (all Makerere), Sylvia Namubiru (LASPNET), Andrew Khaukha and HW Boniface Wamala (Judiciary).

About School of Law
It is Uganda’s premier School of Law – started in 1968 as a department in the Faculty of Social Science.

In 1970, it was upgraded to a fully-fledged Faculty of Law, and attained College status in 2012, under the collegiate system, but chose to retain “School” name informed by best international practices.

SOL, which for many years offered a three-year Bachelor of Laws (LLB) programme, has since introduced the Master of Laws (LLM) and Doctor of Laws (LLD) programmes.

Its student population has grown from 17 graduating students in 1971 to 280 in 2018, with current student enrollment standing at 1,300, majority being undergraduates.

The School boasts having contributed tremendously to the human resource in the legal sector within and outside Uganda.