The Chief Justice, Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny - Dollo with some of the court-accredited mediators at the Supreme Court Conference Hall
In a significant stride towards judicial reform, the Chief Justice, Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny -Dollo on May 28, 2024 commissioned Uganda's first set of court-accredited mediators at the Supreme Court Conference Hall, Judiciary Headquarters in Kampala.
The event marked a milestone in the Judiciary's ongoing efforts to enhance access to justice and reduce case backlogs through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
The newly accredited mediators, who include the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, Principal Judge Dr. Flavian Zeija, and former Principal Judge Dr. Yorokamu Bamwine among others, received their training certificates from Prof Jim Gash, the President of Pepperdine University.
They were deployed across various courts, including the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal as well as High Court Divisions and Circuits to facilitate the timely and peaceful resolution of cases.
The Chief Justice thanked top Judiciary administrators and Pepperdine University's Strauss Institute for International ADR for their pivotal roles in this initiative. "Your invaluable contributions have been instrumental in our transformation agenda," he said.
He highlighted the cultural alignment of ADR with Uganda's values of reconciliation and communal harmony, underscoring its potential to provide quicker, cost-effective resolutions compared to the formal justice system. The CJ cited statistics from the Judiciary's 2023 Annual Performance Report, revealing a caseload of more than 200,000 pending cases.
He noted that to address this problem, 71 mediators, including sitting and retired judges, were trained by the Strauss Institute. He added that the mediators were deployed across various courts to facilitate peaceful dispute resolution, alleviating the judiciary's burden.
Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo also emphasized the need for ADR, noting its success in high-GDP economies like the United States of America, where over 90% of cases are resolved through Mediation. He called on all stakeholders to embrace ADR, promising continued support and expansion of these capabilities throughout Uganda's courts.
He also announced upcoming initiatives such as "Case settlement weeks" to further promote ADR.
"Together, we will make justice more accessible and efficient for all Ugandans," he stated.
The Deputy Chief Justice, Justice Richard Buteera lauded the mediators for their dedication and encouraged them to promote amicable settlements. He noted the success of mediation in other countries and its compatibility with Uganda's customary practices.
Justice Dr. Bamwine, representing the team of retired Judicial officers, thanked the Chief Justice for inviting them to the award ceremony, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to once again serve the Judiciary and the country through ADR.
He expressed appreciation for re-engineering ADR within the Judiciary and the country.
Dr. Bamwine noted that despite efforts to increase circuits and judicial officers, the Judiciary has long struggled to effectively appeal to the people, who still face difficulties accessing justice.
He praised the innovation of ADR as a timely solution to address the needs of the people and transform the judicial process.
Dr. Bamwine also pledged to give the program full commitment and to use his experience to promote ADR to the best of their abilities.
The event was attended by both sitting and retired judicial officers from various courts as well as stakeholders.
Virtually present was a team from Pepperdine University including, Prof Gash, Prof Danny Dewalt (Vice President and Chief of Staff Pepperdine University), Sukhjimranjit Singh(Managing Director of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution) and Cameroon Mccollum (Director Sudreau Global Justice Institute).
The Director of Programmes for the hybrid ceremony was the Chief Registrar, HW Sarah Langa Siu, who was assisted by the Judiciary Public Relations Officer, HW James Ereemye Jumire Mawanda.
Posted 28th, May 2024
