Uganda Bar abolishes ‘colonial’ courtroom bow, ‘My Lord’ title

The National Bar Association successful Uganda (otherwise known arsenic the Uganda Law Society) has officially abolished what it labeled feudal and assemblage practices successful the courtrooms.

A directive issued to the effect, titled ‘Abolition of Colonial Court Culture,’ coincided with the Saba Saba Day, the East African commemoration of absorption against authoritarianism.  

Lawyers and litigants are nary longer required to bow to, oregon code justices and judges arsenic ‘My Lord,’ ‘Your Lordship,’ ‘My Lady,’ ‘Your Ladyship,’ ‘Your Worship,’ oregon immoderate different honorific.

The Bar said effective July 7, 2026, judicial officers shall beryllium addressed plainly arsenic ‘Mr. Justice’ oregon ‘Madam Justice’ for members of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.

Other appellations are ‘Mr. Judge’ oregon ‘Madam Judge’ for members of the High Court, ‘Mr. Magistrate’ oregon ‘Madam Magistrate’, and ‘Mr. Registrar’ oregon ‘Madam Registrar.’

The enforcement bid noted that, wherever appropriate, the tribunal officers tin besides beryllium called by their surname, with ‘Judge,’ ‘Registrar,’ oregon ‘Magistrate’ arsenic a prefix.

The development, according to ULS, was successful the tone of the Saba Saba conflict and the Bar’s “commitment to decolonize justness and reconstruct dignity to the people.”

ULS President Isaac Ssemakadde said each advocates and litigants appearing earlier immoderate court...