ODPP HOLDS PERFORMANCE REVIEW MEETING FOR REGIONAL OFFICERS IN MBARARA CITY
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) successfully held a two-day Performance Review Meeting for Regional Officers in Mbarara City from August 20 to 21, 2026. The meeting was convened to assess progress, identify challenges, and strengthen the delivery of quality and timely prosecutorial services across Uganda.
The engagement provided a platform for Regional Officers to share experiences, reflect on achievements, address emerging challenges, and develop practical strategies to improve case management, professional standards, accountability, and access to justice.
While opening the meeting on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. John Baptist Asiimwe, expressed appreciation to the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands for their valuable support to the ODPP, including facilitating the meeting. He noted that the meeting was intended to review the performance of Regional Officers, identify achievements, and highlight areas for improvement.
Mr. Asiimwe also highlighted the DPP’s plans for the digital transformation of the ODPP, emphasising the importance of effective data management to ensure accurate data collection, proper handling of information, and timely reporting. He further underscored the critical role of Regional Officers in the management and performance of the institution.
“Regional Officers play a critical role in overseeing and supervising the work of field stations, mentoring officers, overseeing High Court sessions, and ensuring quality assurance. Their leadership is therefore central to maintaining professional standards and ensuring the effective and timely delivery of prosecutorial services across Uganda,” he stated.
Ms. Barbara Kilei, Country Manager at IDLO, described peer review meetings as “strategic instruments for institutional accountability, professional learning, and continuous improvement.” She noted that such meetings enable the ODPP to objectively assess performance, identify and replicate good practices, examine the root causes of persistent bottlenecks, and agree on practical corrective actions to strengthen prosecution services for the people of Uganda.
She emphasised that prosecution quality should be assessed using a balanced framework that considers the legality and evidential basis of prosecutorial decisions; the quality of case preparation and courtroom advocacy; timely decision-making and case completion; compliance with disclosure, ethical, and professional standards; respectful treatment and protection of victims and witnesses; preservation of the rights of accused persons; responsible management of case backlogs and public resources; and the contribution of prosecution services to public safety and public confidence.
Ms. Kilei thanked the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Governance and Security Programme (GSP) for their continued support to the ODPP and reaffirmed IDLO’s commitment to supporting the ODPP and the Government of Uganda in building an independent, accountable, and people-centred prosecution service. “IDLO remains committed to supporting the ODPP and the Government of Uganda in building an independent, accountable, and people-centred prosecution service,” she said.
The meeting focused on key areas including efficient and effective criminal case management, professionalism, accountability, digitalisation, proper data management, accurate reporting, collaboration with stakeholders, and a continued commitment to justice. Regional Officers were also taken through a new automated data collection tool designed to facilitate the collection and management of case data in their respective regions.
While closing the meeting, Mr. Asiimwe, representing the Director of Public Prosecutions, appreciated the Regional Officers for their active participation and valuable contributions. He commended them for the significant improvement in their reporting and encouraged sustained commitment to excellence.
He further appreciated the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands for facilitating the meeting.
The ODPP expressed appreciation for the dedication and hard work of all Regional Officers and reaffirmed its commitment to building on the outcomes of the review to enhance service delivery, strengthen accountability, and uphold the highest standards of prosecutorial practice.
The successful conclusion of the meeting reaffirms the ODPP’s commitment to accountability, efficiency, digital transformation, and continuous improvement in the execution of its prosecutorial mandate.
