The Deputy Chief Justice, Hon. Dr. Flavian Zeija, has emphasized the Judiciary's commitment to strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as a sustainable strategy for tackling Uganda's growing case backlog.
He was speaking this morning while officially opening the Mediation Performance Review Meeting and training for mediators at the Court of Appeal Conference Hall, an event that gathered judicial officers, accredited mediators, registrars, and magistrates from across the country.
Justice Zeija described the forum as a crucial opportunity to review progress in mediation during the 2024/25 Financial Year. He noted that while the traditional adversarial model had served the Judiciary for decades, it could no longer meet the demands of the rapidly increasing caseload.
"For long, courts have relied on adversarial dispute resolution mechanisms, but the backlog continued to grow," he observed. "ADR has proven to be an effective strategy for managing caseloads, which is why the Judiciary launched the Alternative Justice System(AJS) strategy in 2023."
The AJS strategy, he explained, integrates traditional and informal justice systems into the formal framework by training practitioners, developing a legal framework, and partnering with community leaders. This approach, he said, provides timely, affordable, and people-centered solutions to disputes.
Justice Zeija highlighted achievements since the launch of the Strategy, including a dedicated Mediation Registry and the appointment of a focal judge for mediation. He proudly noted that Uganda is now showcased as a leading ADR destination in Africa, with the Chief Justice currently chairing the African Chief Justices Forum on ADR, headquartered in Kampala.
Citing the Judiciary's 2024 Performance Report, he said courts handled 161,838 cases, with 42,588classified as backlog, against a staffing of only 702 judicial officers.
"With such numbers, itis impossible to resolve all cases through adjudication alone," he said. "That is why we are empowering mediators, just as in Europe and the USA where over 80% of cases are resolved through ADR."
The Deputy Chief Justice described performance review meetings as vital tools for monitoring, evaluation, and accountability.
"These meetings help us assess progress, analyze data, identify patterns, and derive insights for strategic decision-making," he explained. "They also ensure transparency as we account for the resources allocated to mediation."
He further shared that discussions are at an advanced stage to finalize the Judicature (Court Annexed Mediation) Rules, 2025, which will formalize mediator accreditation and practice standards. Under the proposed Rules, mediators will be required to complete a minimum of 40 hours of training and attend continuous refresher courses to maintain accreditation.
Justice Zeija concluded by thanking the Judicial Training Institute (JTI) for organizing the meeting and encouraged participants to engage actively. He also declared November 2025 as "Settlement Month", urging mediators to dedicate at least two weeks to mediation sessions.
Remarks from JTI and ADR Registry
Welcoming participants, Justice Prof. Andrew Khaukha, Executive Director of JTI, commended the Deputy Chief Justice for his leadership in mainstreaming ADR. Here called that as Principal Judge, he had introduced quarterly performance reviews, which have since been institutionalized.
"Through your guidance, we have scaled up ADR training. To date, 290 judicial officers and100 non-judicial mediators from the Eastern region have been trained," he said.
HW Zuliaka Nanteza, Registrar for ADR and moderator of the session, observed that while mediation has been in place since 2013, its performance had stagnated in recent years. She said the Judiciary is deliberately revamping the system to boost uptake and efficiency.
Nationwide Participation
The day-long meeting features performance presentations from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and the Commercial, Family, and Land Divisions, as well as select High Court circuits and Chief Magistrates Courts, including Mengo, Makindye, Nakawa, Nabweru, Mukono, and Wakiso.
Participants include retired Justices, appellate Justices, High Court Judges, Registrars, magistrates, and accredited mediators, all united by a shared goal of enhancing mediation as a tool for timely, accessible, and people-centered justice.
Posted 17th, October 2025
