Judiciary pushes for mediation reduce case backlogs

Highlights

• In August this year, they settled 49 cases as a result of mediation
• It is hoped that when mediation is adopted, relations among families and neighbors will be mended and case backlog reduced

By Aluma Aribo

The deputy chief justice of Uganda Justice Richard Butera has said there was a need to reduce case backlog in the courts with litigants using the alternative justice resolution.

Among the caliber of mediators being trained are retired judicial officers, religious leaders and cultural leaders among others.

He said: “In addressing what we do, we should look for fair decisions, but they should also be speedy, that is expeditious disposal of what we do.”

Justice Butera who is also the head of appellate court revealed that in August this year, they settled 49 cases as a result of mediation.

We are trying to address backlog, we are looking for methods to achieve this, one of the methods is mediation and the objective of it is that justice should not be delayed. Mediation should not be delayed, reconciliation between the parties shall be promoted

Sarah Langa Sui, the chief registrar revealed that: “We closed the month of September this year with 163,634 cases, these are cases which are still waiting for resolution, and of this, and 40,964 were backlog.

She attributed low handling of the cases to small number of judicial officers who are expected to handle the cases. There are currently 655 judicial officers who are expected to handle the cases.

Arua resident judge Justice Harriet Magala acknowledged that mediation works when applied and has showed good results.

Also Read: How court mediation can help you   – West Nile Press

“I have looked at the case backlog that I have and many of them arise as a result of dispute between family members and this cuts across in family matters that are being filed, even when you look at criminal cases, it is because someone beat the other or killed the other and these are family members”

Zulaika Nanteza, the deputy registrar in charge of alternative said: “We know and believe that sometimes people come to court when they know what they want, or even when they know what they want, it takes a lot of time, and they lose track of what they initially wanted from court.”