Lady Justice Anita Mugeni from Rwanda was, on Wednesday, May 31, designated as Vice President of the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) with effect from June 20. She will be replacing Lady Justice Sauda Mjasiri from Tanzania who will retire on June 19. This was during the 21st Extraordinary EAC Heads of State Summit, on Wednesday, May 31, 2023, in Bujumbura, Burundi, which discussed the security crisis in eastern DR Congo. Also on the agenda was the appointment of EAC Deputy Secretaries General, the designation of Vice President of the EACJ, and the appointment of a Judge to the Court. ALSO READ: DR Congo crisis on agenda as EAC leaders hold second meeting in Bujumbura The EACJ or ‘the Court’, is one of the organs of the East African Community established under Article 9 of the Treaty for the Establishment of the East African Community. Established in November 2001, the Court’s major responsibility is to ensure the adherence to law in the interpretation and application of and compliance with the EAC Treaty. ALSO READ: Two Rwandans named judges to East African Court of Justice Mugeni sat on the bench of the Court's appellate chamber in February 2021, when the EAC Summit appointed new judges to the Court. Justice Omar Othman Makungu from Tanzania was appointed as a Judge of the EACJ Appellate Division with effect from June 20, replacing Lady Justice Sauda Mjasiri. The retiring Mjasiri was both judge of appellate and Vice President but now Rwanda’s Mugeni will take over the Vice President post. Justice Kayembe Kasanda Ignace Rene, from DR Congo, was appointed and sworn in as a Judge of the East African Court of Justice in the First Instance Division. Annette Ssemuwemba Mutaawe was appointed and sworn in as the new EAC Deputy Secretary General - Customs, Trade and Monetary Affairs; and Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth was appointed and sworn in as the EAC Deputy Secretary General, Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political sectors. ALSO READ: A look at Rwanda’s top female judges More about Justice Anita Mugeni Born May 1970, Mugeni was appointed a Judge to East African Court of Justice Appellate Division in February 2021. She holds a Master’s Degree in Law (LLM), FUSL-UC Louvain, Belgium (2005); a Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) from the National University of Rwanda (NUR, 1996), and she is a senior member of the Rwandan bar with a great training and experience in the civil law system. She started her legal practice as an advocate in January 1998 working her way up as one of the most prolific commercial and litigation attorneys in Rwanda. Previously, Justice Mugeni worked on many commercial transaction advisory cases including dispute resolution, due diligence, and insolvencies. She is one of the founding partners of MRB Attorneys. She has also served as acting President of the Rwanda Bar Association (RBA), served as Dean and Council member of RBA, as Council member of the East African Law Society, a commissioner of the Public service commission, a commissioner of the National Consultative Committee on EAC Political Federation, among others.
