( Download PDF speech here | Watch video speech )

REMARKS BY HON. ALFONSE CHIGAMOY OWINY – DOLLO, CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA DELIVERED AT THE LAUNCH OF ACTIVTIES OF THE CATHOLIC LAWYERS SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL AT ST AUGUSTINE INSTITUTE IN NASAMBYA, KAMPALA. SATURDAY 29th APRIL, 2023.

Your Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda;

The Main Celebrant, My Lord Bishop (Emeritus of Kotido Diocese).

Members of Parliament present

The Former Prime Minister Hon. Patrick Amama Mbabazi

Religious Leaders present,

President of the Catholic Lawyers Society International

Judicial officers Present

The Executive members of the Catholic Lawyers Society International

The distinguished members of the Legal Bar, and the Catholic Lawyers Society International

Distinguished Jurists and members of the Catholic Society

Members of the media present;

Fellow Christians,

Distinguished Participants Ladies and Gentlemen.

I am profoundly honoured to be here with you all, and to be part of the launch of the upcoming activities of the Catholic Lawyers Society here in Uganda today. I thank the organisers for inviting me to this event.

I take the opportunity to thank His Lordship Bishop (the Bishop Emeritus of Kotido Diocese), Rev, Giuseppe Filipe CCJ for leading us in the mass today. I also thank all you all for coming, and above all, to congratulate you all for making it through the past challenges presented by Ebola in Uganda, and COVID-19 in Uganda, and throughout the world.

In a special way, I thank His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda for steering the Country well during the troubled times, Thank you Your Excellency.

Your Excellency, The Catholic Lawyers Society International is one of the many programmes anchored in the Catholic Church activities and services to people of Uganda, and world over. I am glad that, today, we are launching some of the activities of the society in Uganda, in addition to the already running Church programmes. I thank the leadership of the Society for taking this initial step to bring lawyers together, after a long time following the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in the world.

Dear Participants, I am glad that we are here today to reflect on our contribution to society, first as Christians, and secondly, as lawyers called on with a special mandate to serve the people of God in our various assignments and placements. As Christian lawyers, we are expected lead by example, emulate the attributes of a just Christ, a servant Lord, humility and leadership beyond reproach, without compromising the professional ethics and conduct. This normative values have all origins in the 10 commandment, and the love we are called to share with others.

I am glad that the vision and the Motto of the Society are in tandem with our Christian values of dedicated service to others, and above all promoting
Justice and rule of law in our sphere work. It is a reminder of what the church of Christ has been teaching us. For example, a teaching to members of the legal fraternity,

“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy”. – Proverbs 31:8-9,

Similarly,

“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, …, and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law. – Romans 13:8-10

I am confident this has been once again a clarion call to duty to all of us; to serve in a holistic manner, the people of God. As you may know, lawyers, are one of the essential ingredient in building of national competiveness for sustainable development; For example, the Courts have world over underscored the special role played by lawyers in society, duty places lawyers in a central position in the administration of justice as intermediaries between the public and the Courts.

Lawyers are expected to draw the public attention to the shortcomings in the justice system, to enable improved service delivery to the citizens. I have no doubt that at the end of this event, every participant, will return home or to the work place, with a renewed self-assessment and reflection of their past work, and what they have still to offer to Ugandan as Christ expects of us while here on earth.

Allow me to, once again, express my gratitude to the leadership of the Catholic Church in Uganda, for sustainable support to the Government of Uganda through provision of social services such as Education and Health  among many other community initiatives, the church has for many years been involved throughout the Country.

I also thank St Augustine Institute, Nsambya, Kampala for providing all the necessary support, and allowing us this serene environment for our activities
today.

Again, I whole heartily thank each one of you, colleagues and members of the Catholic Lawyers Society International this important event. I implore to you always have gatherings like this for us to continue dialogue on issues which affect and concern our people, and devise ways of giving back to society through enhanced access to justice in Uganda. I thank the secretariat for making this event possible.

Finally, I now have the singular honour to invite Your Excellency, the President of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, to officially address the congregation.

I thank you.

Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny – Dollo
CHIEF JUSTICE