Expecting the Unexpected

Since arriving back in Kampala after a weekend visit with Henry at his medical school, I have been running around town for various meetings.  My initial itinerary called for me to leave tonight, but I have come to expect the unexpected in Uganda.  Consequently, I wasn’t too surprised when my return trip was delayed by three days.  I now head home on Monday – out of Kigali, Rwanda.

Monday through Thursday involved a series of successful and encouraging meetings.  My meeting at the US Embassy with a Ugandan professor (employed by the Embassy) and American diplomat went quite well.  I appreciated the opportunity to share all of what Pepperdine is doing with the Ugandan Judiciary, and they are eager to find ways to work together in the future.  They had heard about some of our work from various Ugandan officials and were glad to finally connect.  I suspect I will be meeting with the Embassy on each of my return trips in the future.

My meeting with the newly appointed Chief Justice of Uganda, Bart Katureebe, also went quite well.  A few years ago, one of our students had interned for him for the summer, so he had a general idea of Pepperdine’s involvement with the judiciary as a whole.  He has accepted our invitation to come to Pepperdine this next fall to further deepen the relationship between our respective institutions.  His past experience in all three branches of the government — Member of Parliament, Attorney General, and Supreme Court Justice – makes him an ideal candidate to succeed retired Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki.

I also had productive meetings with both the Solicitor General and the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Uganda, both of whom are coming to Pepperdine next month for a study tour focusing on case management structures, which is aimed at improving the efficiency of work flow in both the civil and criminal realms in Uganda.

We are still “patiently” awaiting the ruling on Henry’s appeal (25 months and counting), and I met with the lawyer who assisted me with the case to discuss if any avenues exist to expedite the ruling.  We also discussed the seemingly intractable land battle Henry and his family are embroiled in.  I was encouraged to learn a few aspects of Ugandan land law that may provide a roadmap toward resolution.  I anticipate hiring him soon to represent Henry’s family’s interests.

For the past several years, I have been communicating periodically with the Chief Justice of Rwanda, mostly about our student internships with his court each summer.  Recently, however, our discussions have turned toward the possibility of Rwanda evaluating some of the criminal justice reforms with which we are assisting Uganda.  Those discussions have led to a meeting that will now take place this coming Monday (necessitating my unexpected delayed return).  There will be four of “us Ugandans” (including the Principal Judge (head of the trial court)) meeting in Kigali, Rwanda with about a dozen of the top judicial, prosecutorial, police, and prison officials in Rwanda about possible next steps for Rwanda.  I am excited about the prospect of becoming more deeply involved in assisting Rwanda, if they decide t to proceed.  It should be an interesting meeting.

Further unexpected was my debut on Ugandan television, as I was captured in a clip filmed at the plea bargaining conference last week.  Even more unexpected was the startling headline accompanying the clip – “Principal Judge Opposes Introduction of Plea Bargaining.”  Nothing could be further from the truth – the PJ is the staunchest supporter of plea bargaining, as is clear from the clip itself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgT9GJb7RLQ.  Featured in the clip is one of the prisoners our team helped secure a plea bargain last summer.

More after Monday’s meeting in Rwanda.