Five new regional premises to expand Court of Appeal access

The Court of Appeal is set to construct five permanent regional premises in Mbarara, Gulu, Fort Portal, Mbale, and Mubende during the 2025/26 financial year, Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera has announced.

“We have secured everything necessary for construction, and at the beginning of the financial year, we shall establish permanent structures in these regions to bring services closer to the people,” he said.

Justice Buteera made the remarks while opening the first-ever three-day civil appeals session at the Jinja Court on Monday, March 24, where 25 cases are set to be handled.

The session is being presided over by Justices Eva Luswata as the lead judge, alongside Oscar Kihika and Moses Kazibwe Kawumi.

He noted that during a recent visit to Mbale, where land had been offered for a Court of Appeal facility, the dream of decentralising services was finally becoming a reality.

“This has come to pass, and your cries are no more. These districts will receive new court structures aimed at bringing services closer to the people. Now, you don’t have to trek long distances to Kampala because services have been brought nearer,” he stated.
Justice Buteera further explained that this initiative aligns with the Ministry of Justice’s recent policy on training advocates and prosecutors in mediation courses.

“We have started advocating for mediation in some universities, and many have already taken it up. Additionally, we are working with the Uganda Law Development Centre (LDC) to introduce mediation as a full course to help promote justice,” he said.

He emphasised that the justice ministry had fully adopted mediation as part of its legal framework.

“The ministry has embraced mediation as a full course, and we have encouraged universities to incorporate it into their programmes. Now, we want the Uganda Law Development Centre to take it up as a full course unit,” he said.

Currently, training sessions for prosecutors and advocates have commenced in Arua, Soroti, Mbarara, and Fort Portal. A circular has also been developed outlining payment structures for their mediation services under the judiciary.

“Mediation is voluntary. Let’s work together to promote it, as it will help reduce the backlog of cases by providing quicker solutions to disputes,” he urged.

Earlier, Eddie Nangulu, the Uganda Law Society representative for the eastern region, pointed out that while advocates support mediation, their efforts are often hindered by misinformation spread to clients, which undermines the system.

Nangulu called for more freedom for legal practitioners to operate, stating that they serve as the ears and eyes of both the public and those in prisons who require mediation services. He emphasised that once a convict accepts mediation, it plays a crucial role in determining their access to justice.

Michael Alex Ojok, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, highlighted the shortage of prosecutors despite a backlog of over 1,000 criminal cases awaiting trial.

He said that two criminal sessions are currently underway in Jinja and Iganga judicial areas to help reduce the backlog.

Additionally, he noted that the plea bargain system has significantly helped clear long-pending cases, some of which have been in the system for over five years.

Deogracious Ogwapit, the south eastern Prisons commander overseeing Jinja, Kamuli, and Buyende districts, reported that prisons in the region are severely overcrowded.

He revealed that there are currently 3,992 inmates in a facility meant to hold only 1,004. Of these, 2,066 are convicts, while 1,926 are on remand awaiting trial.

At Kirinya Maximum Security Prison, 1,862 inmates are housed in a facility designed for just 393. Most of them are from Iganga.

In the women’s section, 183 inmates are crammed into a space meant for only 40.
“Our major challenges are limited holding space and delayed court justice,” Ogwapit said.