Court users at Iganga Chief Magistrates Court have been educated on judicial processes and key reforms during a public awareness campaign led by the Public Relations and Communications Registry of the Judiciary of Uganda.
The engagement aimed to equip litigants and other court users with practical knowledge of court procedures, promote accountability, and address common causes of delays in justice delivery.
Welcoming participants, the Assistant Registrar of Iganga High Court, Godfrey Ssalaamu Ngobi, emphasized the importance of public engagement in building trust between the Judiciary and the community.
He advised court users to transact only with official Judiciary staff to avoid being misled by imposters.
“We are committed to transparency and ensuring that every court user understands the processes that affect their cases. Our doors are open, and we encourage members of the public to seek clarification directly from judicial officers whenever necessary,” Ngobi said.
During the session, Communications Officer Deo Akugizibwe highlighted key reforms aimed at reducing case backlogs and enhancing efficiency, including Mediation, the Small Claims Procedure, Plea Bargaining, and the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS).
He also explained the Judiciary’s complaints-handling mechanisms and the role of the Judiciary Call Centre in responding to public concerns.
Participants were guided on claiming bail refunds, a common area of confusion among litigants. During an interactive session, attendees raised issues such as delayed rulings, prolonged remand periods, and challenges in processing bail refunds.
Responding to these concerns, Chief Magistrate Kenneth Komakech assured the public of the Court’s commitment to timely justice and encouraged them to seek assistance from his office whenever clarification is needed.
The sensitization exercise was attended by Magistrate Grade One Winny Epiphany Afoyoroth, advocates, prison officers, court staff, and members of the public.
Informational materials outlining various court procedures were also distributed to reinforce the Judiciary’s commitment to transparency, efficiency, and improved service delivery.