|
Citizen Posts
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
More than 14,000 cases are pending before the Court of Appeal, which has only 18 serving Justices against an establishment of 35, with inadequate funding and staffing shortages threatening efforts to speed up the resolution of appeals. Deputy Chief Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi disclosed the figures on Monday while opening a two-day Court of Appeal civil session at Mbale High Court, where 31 appeals are scheduled to be heard.
Kazibwe said the staffing gap places additional pressure on the available Justices and affects the court’s ability to dispose of cases within the expected timeframes. He called for stronger cooperation among justice sector institutions, arguing that delays cannot be addressed by the Judiciary alone because the timely resolution of cases depends on every institution in the justice chain fulfilling its mandate.
“We are not saying we are angels in the Judiciary; we have our own weaknesses, but there are also delays caused by other players in the justice chain. So, when we talk about delays, we must recognise that we all play our part in the chain. Let us all play our part in ensuring the timely delivery of justice,” he said.
Kazibwe made the remarks during a stakeholder meeting held alongside the court session, which runs from Monday, October 12, to today, October 13, 2026. He identified prolonged investigations, lawyers’ failure to comply with court orders within prescribed timelines, and bottlenecks in Alternative Dispute Resolution processes as some of the factors contributing to case delays.
The Deputy Chief Justice said staffing shortages extend beyond the Judiciary, citing a lack of State Attorneys in more than 30 courts across the country. He said some State Attorneys are required to serve two or three courts, increasing their workload and contributing to delays in the administration of justice.
Kazibwe said the situation highlights the need for adequate funding and sufficient personnel across all institutions involved in the justice process. He also emphasised the importance of public confidence in the formal justice system, saying fair treatment of litigants, quality judicial decisions and accountability among justice sector players are essential to building trust.
“Confidence in the judicial system begins with the people knowing that when they go to court, they will get justice. This also means improving the quality of our decisions and treating the people who come to us fairly as litigants. It has many components. We are all players in building confidence in the nation, and let us all, in our respective spaces, work towards that,” he said.
The stakeholder meeting brought together representatives of institutions involved in the administration of justice, including the Uganda Police Force, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, the Attorney General’s Chambers, the Uganda Prisons Service and the legal profession.
Court reviewing old appeals
To address the backlog, Kazibwe said the Court of Appeal is reviewing long-pending cases alongside its traditional first-in, first-out approach. He said committees comprising Justices and Registrars are examining old appeals, including cases affected by missing or inadequate records, to establish how they can be resolved more expeditiously. The civil session is being presided over by Justices Christopher Gashirabake, Margaret Tibulya and Cornelia Kakooza Sabiiti.
If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email via citizenposts24@gmail.com. Follow our WhatsApp Channel HERE to see more of our stories.
