Hon. Justice Richard Buteera (2nd Left) and HW Gakyaro (Extreme right) with the HiiL team at the Court of Appeal
April 05 2024: A team from The Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL) paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Richard Buteera at the Court of Appeal in Kampala.
The purpose of the visit was to hand over a survey report on Justice Needs and Satisfaction in Uganda 2024, launched on March 21, by the Principal Judge, Hon. Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija on behalf of Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny - Dollo.
The team included Ms. Lilian Keene Mugerwa (Justice Transformation Consultant), and Ms. Edith Nakiyaga(Project Officer for Uganda).
The Deputy Chief Justice (DCJ) emphasized the importance of proximity between courts and the population, stating that closer courts facilitate greater access to justice.
He highlighted the significance of traditional dispute resolution methods, such as Mediation, Arbitration, and Negotiation, and stressed the satisfaction people feel when such methods are used to resolve disputes.
Hon. Justice Buteera said he supports Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), because of the high satisfaction levels it generates among users. He said the Alternative Justice System Strategy of the Judiciary of Uganda advocates for the usage of ADR inthe administration of justice.
Additionally, he informed the team about the upcoming National Court Open Day and encouraged them to participate and showcase their work.
Ms. Mugerwa said they were open to collaborating on pilot project of reengineering ADR in the court system and emphasized the organization's focus on data, innovation, dialogue, and strengthening networks.
Additionally, she noted that HiiL will delve deeper into the reasons behind people’s preference for traditional/informal justice systems, to further explore ADR to address relevant questions and contribute to enhancing access to justice.
HiiL is a civil society organization that is dedicated to people-centred justice. They collaborate with justice providers globally, including ministries of justice and judiciaries, to develop solutions and improve systems so that more people can effectively prevent or resolve their justice problems.
HW Allan Gakyaro, the Personal Assistant to the DCJ was in attendance.
Posted 5th, April 2024
