Judicial officers have been urged to embrace peer supervision as a way of promoting integrity, accountability and discipline within the Judiciary.

The Chief Justice Dr Zeija said that corruption, laziness and persistent absenteeism of individual Judicial officers affect the reputation of the entire Judiciary.

Dr Zeija made the remarks while launching peer committees, established to allow judicial officers to advise, support and hold each other accountable before professional misconduct leads to disciplinary action.

He said the initiative is important because recent visits to courts across the country have revealed cases of absenteeism, poor performance and conduct that falls short of the expected standards.

The Chief Justice cited an incident at Amudat where he reportedly found a judicial officer had been away from court for about a month, and had left the court keys with a cleaner at the State Attorney's chambers.

He also said some court users have become accustomed to magistrates arriving late at work, with some reportedly not reporting until midday.

He directed the committees to identify performance and training gaps, organise relevant training and keep records of their activities.

The committees will also be required to submit quarterly reports about their work.

Justice Stephen Musota, the Chief Inspector of Courts, said that the committees were constituted in February 2026 and bring together judicial officers of the same rank and geographical location.

He said they are intended to promote mentorship, collegiality and accountability while providing a platform for judicial officers to address professional challenges.

Chairperson of the Judiciary Integrity Committee, Justice Monica Mugenyi said the idea of peer committees dates back to the Sixth Annual Judges' Conference held in January 2003.

She said the initiative has now been formally incorporated into the Judiciary's regulations.