Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo has called for deeper involvement of cultural leaders in Uganda’s justice system, stressing that Alternative Justice Systems (AJS) and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms are critical in expanding access to justice and reducing court congestion across the country.
Speaking in Lira during the second day of ongoing training on AJS and ADR, Lady Justice Abodo welcomed the Won Nyaci me Lango, leaders of Tekwaro Lango, the Council of Owitong, and clan heads, describing them as indispensable partners in justice delivery.
She reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to collaboration with traditional institutions, saying cultural and community structures remain central to resolving disputes at the grassroots level.
“The Judiciary regards them as true and equal partners in the administration of justice,” she said.
Lady Justice Abodo noted that the engagement marks a significant step toward formally integrating indigenous justice practices into Uganda’s broader legal framework.
She explained that AJS builds on long-established community systems and that the Judiciary’s role is to strengthen and align them with constitutional standards rather than replace them.
She further highlighted the urgency of embracing complementary justice mechanisms, pointing to data showing that courts handle less than 5 percent of disputes, while more than 85 percent of Ugandans rely on community-based systems such as clans, elders, religious institutions, and Local Council courts.
Focusing on the Lango sub-region, she revealed that as of March 24, 2026, the Lira High Court had 2,240 active cases, including a backlog of 1,123.
Criminal cases accounted for 984 files, land disputes exceeded 500, and civil matters stood at over 600. She noted that these figures reflect only High Court cases, excluding those handled by magistrates’ courts across the ten districts and Lira City.
Lady Justice Abodo also pointed out that the sub-region, with a population of approximately 3.38 million people, is served by only about 20 to 21 judicial officers, translating to roughly one officer per 160,000 people, a gap she said reinforces the need for alternative systems to complement formal courts.
The training is jointly organized by the Judicial Training Institute (JTI) and the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Registry, aimed at strengthening community-centred justice delivery and improving coordination between formal and informal systems.
The Head of the Lira High Court Circuit, Lady Justice Margaret Apiny, commended the initiative, describing it as timely and transformative.
She said participants had been carefully selected as key actors to help operationalize AJS in their communities and urged them to actively engage in the training.
The Executive Director of the Judicial Training Institute, Justice Prof. Andrew Khaukha, presented additional case statistics, noting 685 commercial cases, 982 criminal cases, 516 land matters, and seven civil cases at the High Court level.
At the Lira Chief Magistrate’s Court, he cited 232 civil cases, 530 criminal cases, 62 land matters, and 117 family cases, with additional pressures in Aboke, Apac, Alebtong, and Dokolo.
Justice Khaukha emphasized that even if courts focused solely on clearing backlog for five to six years, new cases and appeals would continue to accumulate.
He added that formal courts handle only about 10 percent of disputes, while the majority are resolved through informal mechanisms, underscoring the need to integrate AJS into the national justice system.
The engagement was further highlighted by the presence of the Paramount Chief of Lango, Eng Moses Michael Odongo Okune, reflecting the continued importance of cultural institutions in strengthening justice delivery at community level.
