Hon. Justice Alfonse C. Owiny - Dollo , Chief Justice
The Chief Justice constituted a 20-member team of retired Justices, Judges and senior advocates to pilot the Alternative Dispute Resolution to spearhead the pilot programme in all the courts of record for a period of two years.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony for the 20, the Chief Justice said, "...by the end of the two-year period, the best practices and lessons learnt will shape ADR in the entire Judiciary."
Those commissioned during the online ceremony included; Rtd. Principal Judge, Hon. Justice Yorokamu Bamwine, Rtd. Hon. Justice Eldad Mwangusya, Rtd. Hon. Justice Augustine Nshimye, Rtd. Hon. Justice Paul Mugamba, Rtd. Hon. Justice Remmy Kasule, Rtd. Hon. Justice Wilson Kwesiga, Rtd. Hon. Justice Vincent Zehurikize, Rtd. Hon. Justice Lameck Mukasa, Rtd. Hon. Justice Augustine Kania, Rtd. Hon. Justice David Wangutusi and Rtd. Hon. Justice Albert Rugadya Atwooki. Former Attorney General Hon. Fredrick Ruhindi, former Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Amos Ngolobe, former Deputy Inspector of Government Mr. George Bamugemereire, Ms. Betty Khisa, Mrs. Robinah Shonubi, HW Joy Kabagye Bahinguza(Rtd.) and HW Jolly Nkore (Rtd.), HW Opifeni Anguandia (Rtd.) and HW Miriam Okello (Rtd.).
The Chief Justice tasked the team tasked to re-engineer ADR in court processes as a strategic intervention to free up resources locked up in the courts and give momentum to ongoing initiatives to modernize and re-energize wheels of justice, required of a responsive and people-centered Judiciary.
Adding; "I am aware that the courts currently have mediators. This select team will offer leadership and work with those mediators."
The Deputy Chief Justice and Chairperson of the ad hoc Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Richard Buteera, commended the Chief Justice for the great efforts in "ensuring the strengthening and effective implementation of Alternative Dispute Resolution."
The adhoc Committee was constituted by the Chief Justice in May this year, to Develop the Alternative Justice System (AJS) Strategy to guide the ADR approach of the Judiciary; Train all Judicial Officers as key justice actors on ADR; Work with the Courts to ensure the effective implementation of the AJS Strategy, and ADR approaches in the resolution of disputes. And to Develop and compile a Judicial Bench Book on ADR to guide all Judicial Officers.
The DCJ noted that so far his Committee organized and implemented all activities leading to the national ADR Summit that was held on 26th and 27th July 2023.Adding that the Committee also supported the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs in making proposals that developed the national ADR policy which the Minister is currently processing through cabinet.
"This Committee is therefore ably doing its work and will also be part of this pilot programme. The members of this committee are going to work together with this team in undertaking mediation in the respective divisions of the High Court. I therefore look forward to working with the team to achieve the success of the pilot programme," the Deputy Chief Justice said.
The Principal Judge, Dr Flavian Zeija, welcomed the innovation and said it would help ease the current caseload. "Given the current case workload that we have and the limited resources, ADR is definitely the way to go," he said.
Adding; "We have faced many challenges in the implementation of ADR and one of our greatest challenges has been choice, exposure and expertise of the mediators. I therefore believe that this team selected by the Hon. the Chief Justice is going to have a tremendous impact in addressing these challenges, for the implementation of ADR."
The Permanent Secretary/Secretary to Judiciary, Dr Pius Bigirimana, expressed his commitment of supporting the Committee in the implementation of its assignment at the different High Court Divisions.
Prof Jim Gash, the President of Pepperdine University reiterated the University's commitment in supporting the ADR pilot programme.
Hon. Ruhindi, who moved a vote of thanks on behalf of the pilot Committee to implement the ADR Strategy, said the opportunity to serve is a means of improving dispensation of justice through ADR.
Posted 2nd, August 2023
