The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has resolved 89 commercial disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in the current financial year, highlighting the agency’s growing role in promoting business certainty, protecting investments, and reducing the cost of doing business in Uganda.
The achievement was highlighted during a joint courtesy visit by Uganda’s Chief Justice, Justice Dr Flavian Zeija, and Zambia’s Chief Justice, Justice Dr Mumba Malila, to the URSB headquarters in Kololo, where they assessed regional commercial dispute resolution frameworks and the growth of ADR across Africa.
The visit was part of Justice Malila’s official engagements in Uganda following his assumption of leadership of the Africa Chief Justices’ Alternative Dispute Resolution Forum (ACJADRF) from former chairperson and Uganda’s Chief Justice Emeritus, Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo, during a handover ceremony held at the Supreme Court in Kampala on June 15.
The two Chief Justices were received by George Fred Kagimu, representing the URSB Board Chairman, Rt. Hon. Amb. Francis K. Butagira, together with Registrar General Mercy Kainobwisho and members of the bureau’s senior management.
Speaking during the visit, Kainobwisho said the bureau’s increased use of ADR demonstrates its commitment to providing fair, efficient, and legally sound solutions for businesses.
“ADR gives us better tools to ensure decisions are fair, efficient, and legally sound. By resolving disputes faster and more effectively, we strengthen business confidence, protect investment capital, and create a more conducive environment for economic growth,” she said.
The resolution of 89 commercial disputes through mediation and arbitration marks a shift in URSB’s role beyond its traditional mandate of registering businesses and managing intellectual property matters. As Uganda’s economy becomes increasingly complex, the bureau is positioning itself as an important institution in addressing commercial conflicts that could disrupt business operations and lock up capital in lengthy legal battles.
Justice Malila emphasized the importance of strengthening ADR mechanisms within justice systems across Africa, saying they provide faster and more affordable alternatives to traditional litigation while helping restore relationships between disputing parties.
“Alternative dispute resolution mechanisms are not only faster and less costly, but they also contribute to restoring peace and harmony in society,” he said.
He noted that businesses benefit significantly from mediation and arbitration because the mechanisms reduce litigation costs and minimize disruptions caused by prolonged court proceedings.
Uganda has increasingly embraced ADR as part of efforts to improve the investment climate and enhance its competitiveness as a destination for foreign investment. Commercial disputes involving intellectual property, insolvency, receivership, secured transactions, and business operations often have major financial implications, making timely resolution critical for business continuity.
Kagimu reaffirmed URSB’s commitment to expanding ADR services across all areas under its mandate.
“I am happy, Your Lordship, to learn of the proposed Africa Chief Justices ADR Forum, which seeks to promote and position ADR as a mechanism for the realization of the Africa Agenda 2063 and to promote alternative justice systems that enable interaction between formal and informal justice systems in Africa,” he said.
URSB currently administers more than 20 pieces of legislation covering areas such as intellectual property, insolvency, corporate receivership, secured interests, and business registration. Many decisions made by registrars have significant commercial implications, making effective dispute resolution mechanisms essential in complementing the formal court system.
Business analysts say the continued adoption of ADR could improve Uganda’s ease of doing business by lowering legal costs, expanding access to justice, and giving investors greater confidence when commercial disputes arise.
With 89 disputes already resolved outside the traditional court process this financial year, URSB’s expanding ADR framework is increasingly being viewed as a key tool for strengthening investor confidence, protecting business assets, and supporting private sector growth.