Family Division Holds Pre-Session Training for Surge in Letters of Administration Renewals
Participants at the Pre-Session Training for Surge Surge in Letters of Administration Renewals held by Family Division
The Family Division of the High Court today held a one-day pre-session orientation and training to prepare Judges for the unprecedented surge of applications for time to file inventories, final accounts, and renewals of grants of probate and Letters of Administration. The session, which was held at the Supreme Court Building Conference Hall, follows the enactment of the Succession (Amendment) Act, 2022, which introduced strict timelines for estate management.
The law ended the old practice where administrators held property indefinitely, requiring inventories to be filed within six months and final accounts within one year. With thousands of grants having expired on May 31, 2025, the Family Division is now grappling with more than 8,700 pending cases, nearly 5,000 of them renewals, a backlog that Judges could could cripple family justice.
Opening the training, the Acting Principal Judge, Lady Justice Okuo Jane Kajuga, explained that the Judiciary had launched the programme to fast-track the cases and ensure consistent, expeditious, and fair handling.
"Behind every file lies a person and a family," she told the participants. "This exercise must be handled with professionalism and sensitivity to protect vulnerable beneficiaries, clear the backlog, and restore public trust in the Judiciary."
The training is facilitated by Justice John Eudes Keitirima, the Head of the Family Division and Justice Charles Kasibayo alongside other Family Division judges, focusing on spotting fraud, ensuring compliance, and balancing legal requirements with compassion.
Describing the current situation as an "avalanche of applications," Justice Keitirima, the Head of the Family Division, said many administrators had failed to meet statutory obligations and were running estates as personal property.
"This non-compliance has left families stranded, blocking access to medical care and school fees," he said, urging lawyers to play a stronger role in educating administrators and executors about their duties.
Administrator General Calls for Collaboration
The Administrator General, Mr.Victor Manzi, outlined the critical role of his office in managing estates of deceased persons, minors, missing individuals, and the mentally ill. He pointed to key reforms under the 2022 amendments, including enhanced rights for spouses, changes to property sharing, and safeguards against fraud.
Manzi announced plans to introduce tamper-proof certificates of no objection and called for closer collaboration with the Judiciary to ensure efficient and transparent estate administration.
He also clarified that his office no longer manages succession registers for Buganda inheritance records(1912-1967), following recommendations of a Joint Working Committee. This decision, he said, has already sparked Constitutional Petition No. 84 of 2023,challenging the refusal to issue certificates of no objection for such estates.
On expired grants, he explained that courts are the first point of recourse for renewal applications, but where all administrators are deceased or a court rejects an extension, his office can step in to issue certificates or perform specific functions. He further announced plans to introduce certificates of no objection with enhanced security features to reduce fraud and called for stronger collaboration with the Judiciary to ensure efficient and transparent estate administration.
The day's programme featured a presentation by Justice Charles Kasibayo on "Overview of the Succession(Amendment) Act, 2022; Why the Expiration of the Letters of Administration." Justice John Eudes Keitirima also presented on "Practical Steps of Handling Applications for Renewal of Letters of Administration/Probate and What to Look Out for."
The pre-session, moderated by HW Katushabe Prossy, brought together judges slated to assist in the upcoming special session, including Lady Justice Joyce Kavuma, Lady Justice Olive Kazaare, Justice Samuel Emokor, Lady Justice Patricia Kahigi Asiimwe, and Lady Justice Christine Echookit. In attendance were Judicial Officers at the different Court levels, as well as stakeholders in the justice system.
Below is the complete recording of the proceedings;
https://www.youtube.com/live/RMPKtK0KYBk?si=urBWvk8SUGernqsF
Posted 10th, September 2025
