The Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga is set to scoop a title of a Senior Counsel –the highest in the legal fraternity in Uganda.
Reports indicate that Kadaga is among the 12 applicants for the prestigious honour, and a favorite candidate for the award.
Senior Counsel is a special rank awarded to exceptional legal practitioners who have an unblemished record of practice for over a decade in Uganda. The title is conferred by the President based on advice by the Chief Justice, Attorney General and the President of the Law Society.
From the list of 2018 applicants for this award, Kadaga, a lawyer with 36 years of legal practice is likely to beat, or be honoured alongside other formidable legal brains including Prof. David J Bakibinja (42 years), Mr. Francis Aloysius Wazarwahi Bwengye (39 years), Mr. Peter Kizito Musoke (33 years), and Mr. Pierre Claver Ruguizangoga Kabasti (44 years).
Some facts about Senior Counsel:
For court appearances, Senior Counsels don a silk gown quite distinct from the black robes that other advocates wear.
He or she only appears in courts above Grade One Magistrate.
The maximum number of Senior Counsels in Uganda is 25, and if this number is reached, the only way to add another one is when a Senior Counsel dies.
Attoney Generals are automatically eligible for this title even after their term of office expires.
If Kadaga scoops the award, she will be sharing it with the likes of Chief Justice Bart Katureebe, Former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi, Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kuteesa and a few others.