JUDICIARY Latest Features

Earlier, the Chief Justice, Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija, met a delegation from the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO) and the Netherlands Embassy at the Court of Appeal building in Kampala to review their long-standing partnership and discuss future priorities for justice reform.

The meeting, led by IDLO Country Manager Ms Barbara Kilei, focused on institutional reform, performance management, access to justice, and areas for continued collaboration between the Judiciary and its development partners.

Those present included Mr Ode De Jong, First Secretary at the Netherlands Embassy; Ms Grace Babihuga, Governance and Human Rights Advisor at the Netherlands Embassy; Mr Alfred Hill, IDLO Programme Lead; Ms Joyce Freda Apio, Programme Manager; and Mr Samson Asiimwe, Programme Manager. Also in attendance were HW Dr Mushabe Alex Karocho, Private Legal Secretary to the Chief Justice, and HW Mwesigye Julius, Personal Assistant to the Chief Justice.

In his remarks, the Chief Justice welcomed the delegation and expressed appreciation for IDLO's sustained engagement with the Judiciary as a national development partner. He acknowledged the Judiciary's long-term commitment to institutional strengthening and underscored the value of continued dialogue on the future direction of Uganda’s justice system.

He reflected on the depth of the partnership, recalling that IDLO’s engagement with the Judiciary was already well established when he assumed office as Principal Judge in 2019. He commended the organisation's contribution to justice delivery, the rule of law, and institutional resilience.

"You have consistently demonstrated that law is not merely a set of rules, but a living instrument for development, peace, and human dignity," the Chief Justice said.

He highlighted IDLO's role as a reliable and forward-looking partner whose technical assistance, capacity-building initiatives, research, and policy support have produced practical and sustainable reforms. A key contribution cited was IDLO's four-year support to High Court quarterly performance review meetings, which strengthened performance management through regular analysis of judicial statistics, data cleaning, peer learning among judges, improved identification of station-level challenges, informed resource allocation, and enhanced accountability.

The Chief Justice noted that these review meetings have since been institutionalised within the Judiciary's annual activity plan and are now funded internally. Building on this success, he announced plans to cascade similar performance review mechanisms to the Magistrates Courts and extend them to the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court as part of a broader commitment to performance measurement and management.

He also detailed IDLO’s support to law reform, particularly through the Judiciary Law Reform Committee and the Rules Committee. During his tenure as Principal Judge, he noted, 27 sets of Rules were developed with IDLO support, some of which are still undergoing finalisation. He emphasised that meaningful institutional transformation is anchored in law reform and observed that continued updating of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Rules remains necessary to respond to evolving technological and procedural demands.

Another critical area of collaboration highlighted was the promotion of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and the development of Alternative Justice Systems(AJS). The Chief Justice noted that IDLO supported the Judiciary's engagement in the formulation of the National ADR Policy and the Alternative Justice Systems Strategy, both adopted in 2025. These frameworks recognise that formal court processes alone cannot adequately meet justice needs and must be complemented by mediation, arbitration, reconciliation, and other alternative mechanisms.

Capacity building was cited as another major contribution. The Chief Justice noted that IDLO partnered with the Judiciary and the Judicial Training Institute to train judicial officers and mediators, including traditional, religious, and local leaders, across various regions. He observed that participants were subsequently accredited as mediators, leading to measurable improvements in mediation outcomes.

He further acknowledged IDLO’s support for high-level regional engagements, including the African Commercial Dispute Resolution Forum, the African Chief Justices' Forum on ADR, and the Alternative Justice Systems Conference, where cultural and religious leaders were trained to strengthen linkages between formal and informal justice systems.

The Chief Justice also recognised IDLO's support for a comparative study visit tothe Judicial Training Institute in Kenya and Tanzania in 2022. He noted that the study informed strategic decisions to strengthen judicial education in Uganda, including the acquisition of 17 acres of land in Nakasongola for the construction of a state-of-the-art Judicial Training Institute with accommodation, training, and recreational facilities.

IDLO's contribution to juvenile justice reform was also noted. Through support to special juvenile sessions, the Chief Justice noted that IDLO enabled a one-week intervention addressing prolonged remand for children. During the exercise, 797juveniles were considered, resulting in the release of 311, while others were diverted or referred for rehabilitation.

In addition, he noted that IDLO funded a pilot for daily hearings at the High Court Criminal Division, marking a shift from the traditional session-based approach. The pilot significantly improved case disposal rates and informed the Judiciary’s decision to roll out daily hearings in additional circuits. 

The recently concluded Annual Judges' Conference 2026 was cited as another milestone supported by IDLO, alongside the Government of Uganda. The conference addressed key performance issues, including sentencing disparities, particularly in sexual and gender-based violence cases, the use of artificial intelligence in adjudication, ADR in family, land, and commercial disputes, and the institutionalization of Alternative Justice Systems.

Looking ahead, the Chief Justice outlined the Judiciary's vision of a people-centred, technology-driven, and values-based institution that dispenses justice with compassion, efficiency, and integrity. He reaffirmed the Judiciary's openness to innovation and partnership and its commitment to strengthening collaboration with IDLO and other development partners.