Retired Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki has called for continued investment in physical Judiciary infrastructure, arguing that technology can only support, but cannot replace, the courts and facilities needed to deliver justice to Ugandans.Odoki made the remarks in Kampala during the launch of two books authored by retired Judiciary Commissioner for Engineering and Technical Services, Eng. Dr Christopher Ebal. The event, held at Hotel Africana, brought together serving and retired judicial officers, Judiciary administrators, former colleagues, family members and friends.
The publications, Transformative Leadership in Public Service: The Case of National Water and Sewerage Corporation, 2013–2020 and From the Corridors of the Uganda Judiciary: The Journey from 1998–2024, trace Ebal’s career in public service and highlight his contribution to infrastructure development and institutional growth.Reflecting on his time as Chief Justice between 2001 and 2013, Odoki said the Judiciary expanded considerably as more judges and judicial officers were appointed. He explained that the growth made it necessary to establish adequate facilities so that justice could be taken closer to the people.Odoki said the Judiciary once debated whether resources should be directed primarily towards technology and administrative systems or towards physical infrastructure. The institution eventually settled on the need for both, recognising that technological advancement would have little impact without suitable places where judicial work could be conducted.
He noted that computers, telephones and other modern tools could not eliminate the need for properly constructed courtrooms, offices and other facilities. In his view, improving access to justice required judges and magistrates to have appropriate working environments while citizens also needed accessible places where they could present their cases.The retired Chief Justice credited Ebal with playing an important technical role in the Judiciary’s infrastructure expansion, including overseeing construction projects, contractors and architectural plans.
He also praised him for recording his experiences, saying such documentation helps preserve institutional knowledge that might otherwise disappear when experienced public servants leave office.Odoki said the two books should therefore be viewed as more than personal accounts of one public servant’s career. He described them as valuable records of Uganda’s institutional development that can help students, researchers, civil servants and future generations understand the challenges, decisions and achievements that shaped the country’s public service and Judiciary.
