Pallisa Residents Urged to Embrace ADR As Judiciary Conducts Sensitization Campaign
The Judiciary's Registry of Communications and Public Relations today conducted a public sensitisation campaign at Pallisa Chief Magistrate's Court aimed at educating court users on judicial processes including Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, and ongoing innovations intended to improve access to justice and service delivery.
The Court's Chief Magistrate, HW Lydia Kambedha, who encouraged members of the public to embrace the Judiciary's modern innovations and ADR mechanisms as effective tools for timely and efficient justice delivery.
HW Kambedha urged court users to actively seek clarification on issues affecting them and emphasised the importance of utilizing available complaint-handling mechanisms within the Judiciary. She encouraged members of the public to report any misconduct or challenges involving court staff directly to her office, and where necessary, escalate matters to institutions such as the Inspectorate of Courts and the Judicial Service Commission.
She further cautioned court users against dealing with "middlemen" and unlicensed individuals commonly referred to as "bush lawyers" operating around court premises, stressing that the public should only engage with authorised court personnel.
On matters relating to bail, HW Kambedha sensitised participants on proper bail payment and refund procedures, advising that all court-related payments should strictly be made through official channels such as banks or court cashiers, with receipts safely retained for accountability purposes.
The sensitisation session was led by Ms. Evas Kobusingye, Client Service Officer, who took participants through various Judiciary reforms and innovations aimed at streamlining justice delivery and enhancing public access to court services.
She explained key ADR mechanisms including Plea Bargaining, Mediation, and the Small Claims Procedure, encouraging court users to take advantage of these faster, cost-effective, and user-friendly approaches to dispute resolution.
Ms. Kobusingye noted that the Small Claims Procedure enables individuals to resolve disputes without lengthy delays or excessive legal costs, while mediation and plea bargaining promote reconciliation and contribute to reducing case backlog.
As part of the outreach, participants were also provided with Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials intended to simplify court procedures and raise awareness on citizens' rights and responsibilities within the justice system.
During an interactive question-and-answer session, court users commended the Judiciary for taking services closer to the people and appreciated the Chief Magistrate and court staff for their dedication to service delivery. Participants also raised concerns relating to the use of canine evidence, perceived emotional sentencing by some judicial officers, delays in police investigations and file management, as well as challenges involving repeat plea-bargain offenders.
Responding to the concerns, HW Kambedha reassured participants of the Judiciary's commitment to addressing such challenges and improving the administration of justice.
In her closing remarks, HW Kambedha encouraged court users to apply the knowledge acquired during the sensitisation and fully utilize the Judiciary's available innovations and ADR mechanisms. She also appreciated the Registry of Communications and Public Relations for organising the outreach and reaffirmed the court's commitment to serving the public with diligence, professionalism, and integrity.
Posted 6th, May 2026
