The Greater Masaka Court Reporters Guild (GMCRG) has launched the third edition of the Greater Masaka Legal Awards 2026, an initiative aimed at recognising outstanding performance among judicial officers and advocates in the region.
The awards, which were introduced in 2024, seek to promote stronger working relationships between advocates, journalists and the Judiciary while recognising individuals and institutions contributing to the administration of justice.
Over the past two editions, several advocates and law firms have been recognised in different categories, including Outstanding Lawyer of the Year, Female Lawyer of the Year, Law Firm of the Year and Human Rights Lawyer of the Year, among others.
For the 2026 edition, the guild has introduced two new categories, the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Judicial Excellence Award, bringing the total number of award categories to six.
Speaking during a press conference at Maple Leaf Hotel in Masaka City, the GMCRG coordinator, Malik Fahad Jjingo, said the awards would recognise six categories of excellence, with both advocates and judicial officers expected to benefit from the initiative.
Jjingo urged advocates, law firms and other stakeholders in the justice sector to participate in the exercise by completing questionnaires that will be circulated as part of the assessment process.
He explained that the initiative was intended to appreciate the contributions of both advocates and judicial officers, noting that lawyers regularly appear before judicial officers, who work alongside them to ensure that citizens access justice and cases are heard and determined within reasonable time.
“The awards strive to reveal those teams and individual advocates that set new market precedents, define legal frameworks, uphold the rule of law, promote innovation and support others in the pursuit of justice in the Masaka region,” Jjingo said.
He said the assessment exercise would run for about one month, with the submission process closing on December 9, ahead of the awards dinner scheduled for December 15, 2026, when the winners will be announced and recognised.
Esther Namugwe, the Head of Research at GMCRG, said the awards were established to recognise the work of advocates and judicial officers in ensuring that ordinary citizens obtain justice through the courts.
She added that the initiative also seeks to encourage advocates to provide proper legal guidance and representation to their clients while promoting professionalism within the legal fraternity.
“When people feel valued and appreciated, they get motivated to do more. Advocates, law firms and judicial officers are key elements in the fight against crime in society. These awards are a small token of appreciation that journalists in the region can give to members of the legal fraternity,” Namugwe said.
The six categories up for recognition in this year’s edition are the Judicial Excellence Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, Best Law Firm of the Year, Female Lawyer of the Year, Outstanding Lawyer of the Year and Human Rights Lawyer of the Year.
Awards timeline
According to the guild, the programme will follow a series of activities leading to the awards dinner.
The launch took place on November 10, while questionnaires are scheduled to be distributed to advocates, law firms, judicial officers and other stakeholders in the justice sector on November 11.
The submission process will close on December 9, with the winners expected to be recognised during the awards dinner on December 15, 2026, in Masaka.
The guild says the awards are part of its broader efforts to promote accountability, professionalism, innovation and collaboration among key players in the administration of justice in the Greater Masaka region.
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