Group Photo: Some of the participants at the National Court Open Day
The Kololo Ceremonial Grounds was a beehive of activity on April 15, 2024 as the Judiciary for the first time, held its first National Court Open Day, marking a significant milestone in its commitment to a people-centered approach to justice.
Court Open Days are deliberate efforts by the Judiciary to strengthen accountability, scale up stakeholder engagements, sensitize court users and obtain feedback on services provided by the Judiciary. The Day is a best practice benchmarked from Denmark where for years from 1996 to 2016 where many Judicial Officers particularly, Magistrates Grade One were trained for a period of one month.
The Day was presided over by the Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny - Dollo, who noted that Judiciary's role was equal to the other branches of government, where its accountability to Ugandans was a core principle.
He emphasized the importance of outreach and sensitization to educate court users and the public about the Judiciary's functions and avenues for addressing grievances.
In line with this, the Chief Justice stated that deliberate efforts were being undertaken by the Judiciary to strengthen the Inspectorate of Courts by having regional presence. This, he said, would help to streamline complaint handling mechanisms within the Judiciary and reduce the burden of court users having to travel long distances to file complaints.
Furthermore, he endorsed Alternative Dispute Resolution Methods such as Mediation, Plea Bargaining and Small Claims Procedure to expedite case resolution and foster peace within communities.
The Chief Justice said as a means to improve physical access to justice, more courts were set to be establishment to improve accessibility to judicial services. He called for cooperation of all stakeholders in advancing the Judiciary's transformation agenda.
The Deputy Chief Justice, Richard Buteera said the Day's theme aligned to the Judiciary's vision of "Justice for All." He emphasized the importance of engaging stakeholders in the administration of justice, focusing on objectives such as highlighting Judiciary services and receiving public feedback to drive improvements.
Justice Buteera also stressed the need to enhance public trust and understanding of the Judiciary, citing the Open Day as an opportunity for the public to familiarize themselves with court processes. He expressed optimism that increased awareness of court processes and procedures would facilitate smoother access to justice.
Hon. Nobert Mao, the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, highlighted the significance of the National Court Open Day in bridging the gap between courts and the public. He cautioned against interference with the judiciary's independence and urged the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) to robustly uphold the integrity of the Judiciary.
The Principal Judge, Dr Flavian Zeija, who was the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee for the open day, noted, "as the organizing committee, we ensured that all key stakeholders in the administration of justice were invited. I therefore, call upon the general public to use this chance to visit the exhibition tents. Many actors in the justice delivery chain are here to tell you what services they offer, answer your queries and respond to your complaints."
The Principal Judge reassured the public that the Day had been held for the general public to interact with the court- for them to get acquainted with services offered- and for the judiciary and other justice actors to get feedback, on how they can improve services and to serve the people better.
The Chief Inspector of Courts, Justice Stephen Musota encouraged participants to utilize the Inspectorate's services. He emphasized the Inspectorate's role in promoting good governance, ensuring adherence to statutory standards, upholding quality assurance, and enforcing the judicial code of conduct.
Ms Sharon Nyambe, the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), which co-funded the event, noted that it was a privilege to witness inclusive active citizen engagement & participation is key in creating a justice system that is effective, fair, humane and accountable to all individuals.
Adding that the partnership with the Judiciary was contributing to opening court processes for inclusive citizen engagement and participation and enhanced public awareness campaigns.
The event served as a platform for engagement between the Judiciary, court users, and the public, reaffirming its (Judiciary's) commitment to accountability, stakeholder engagement, and service improvement.
The hierarchy of all courts was represented, right from the Supreme Court to the Magistrates Courts. Justices of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, Judges of the High Court, Registrars and Magistrates freely interacted with members of the public to respond and address their concerns and queries. The different courts also made presentations. This was followed by a question and answer session where people freely expressed their concerns.
The Day was held with support from the Government of Uganda and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The Director of Programmes was the Chief Registrar HW Sarah Langa Siu who was assisted by the Judiciary Public Relations Officer, HW James Ereemye Jumire Mawanda.
Posted 15th, April 2024
