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Deputy Chief Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija chats with religious leaders
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By Our Reporter
Sheema
The Judiciary is set to embark on training religious leaders, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), and local council leaders in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as part of its efforts to promote access to justice and reduce the case backlog in courts.
This announcement was made by the Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda, His Lordship Dr. Flavian Zeija, while presiding over the commissioning of the Sheema Chief Magistrate’s Court at a function held at Kibingo, Sheema Central Division in Sheema Municipality, on May 29, 2025.
Justice Zeija noted that these leaders play a pivotal role in ensuring access to justice through ADR mechanisms.
He emphasized that since many disputes in communities are initially reported to religious, political, and local council leaders, it is essential that they are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to resolve these matters fairly and efficiently.
“Training them will enhance their capacity to mediate conflicts, reduce the case backlog in courts, and promote reconciliation at the grassroots level,” he said.
During the same function, a UGX 1.83 billion Justice Centre was officially commissioned. The complex comprises a Grade One and Chief Magistrate’s Court, offices for the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), and a police block.
According to Eng. Priscillar Nakiboneka, the Principal Executive Engineer at the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs—who represented the Permanent Secretary—the construction of the facility, which began in 2019, had stalled due to funding gaps, contract revisions, and management challenges.
“One of the biggest challenges we faced was the inability to revise the contract sum when unexpected costs arose,” she said. “I’m glad that eventually, this challenge was overcome through sub-contracting.”
Eng. Nakiboneka urged judicial officers and court staff to maintain the facility properly.
“Cleaning services should meet the necessary standards so that we keep the building in good condition,” she added.
Fred Kyamuzigita, the Sheema District Resident Commissioner, commended the Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS) for the improved infrastructure, noting that it would facilitate the efficient transportation of prisoners and bring justice closer to the people.
Also speaking at the event, Lucy Kabahuma, the Sheema District Chief Magistrate, disclosed that the court is currently handling 821 cases, both civil and criminal.
She explained that civil cases are mainly related to land disputes and debt recovery by SACCOs, while the criminal cases are mostly petty in nature, involving offenses such as coffee theft, matooke theft, cattle theft, assault, and threatening violence.
“What we have observed is that many of these cases occur within families or among community members,” Kabahuma said. “We therefore encourage the use of mediation and the Small Claims Procedure, especially in civil matters, to reduce the number of cases going through the lengthy process of litigation.”
Addressing the gathering, Sheema Municipality MP Dickson Kateshumbwa urged SACCO members to exercise financial discipline and heed the guidance of their leaders.
“You have very prosperous SACCOs—they are declaring profits, they are very rich—but your members are poor. Why?” Kateshumbwa asked. “They borrow, pay interest, but do business without calculation. And because there is no calculation, the return on investment is not adequate to cover their interest and also support their survival. That is the only problem. If we don’t deal with that problem, we are deceiving ourselves.”
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