KAMPALA — Makerere University School of Law and the Judiciary are set to deepen collaboration in legal education, research and judicial training as part of broader efforts to support justice sector reforms and improve access to justice in Uganda and across Africa.
The renewed partnership emerged during a visit by Uganda's Chief Justice, Flavian Zeija, and Zambia's Chief Justice, Mumba Malila, to Makerere University School of Law, where they engaged students, faculty members and university leaders on the future of legal education, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and the role of academia in shaping judicial systems.
Justice Malila's visit followed his recent assumption of leadership of the Africa Chief Justices' Alternative Dispute Resolution Forum (ACJADRF), a continental platform that promotes mediation, arbitration, negotiation and other non-adversarial methods of resolving disputes.
At the centre of the discussions was a shared recognition that meaningful justice reforms require stronger collaboration between institutions responsible for training legal professionals and those charged with administering justice.
Justice Zeija, an alumnus and former lecturer at Makerere University's School of Law, described the visit as a return to an institution that played a significant role in shaping his legal career.
Reflecting on the evolution of legal education, he commended the School of Law for introducing Alternative Dispute Resolution as a standalone course, saying the move aligns with emerging trends in justice delivery.
“When we were in law school and later at the Law Development Centre, no one ever told us that disputes could be resolved through ADR. We were trained primarily for litigation. The introduction of ADR as a standalone course is a very important development,” Justice Zeija said.
His remarks come at a time when courts across Africa are increasingly embracing alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce case backlogs, lower litigation costs and provide faster outcomes for litigants.
In Uganda, the Judiciary has expanded court-annexed mediation programmes in recent years as part of efforts to improve efficiency and enhance access to justice.
Justice Zeija emphasized that universities have a critical role to play in supporting these reforms through research, scholarship and policy engagement.
He noted that legal scholars have increasingly contributed to the development of Uganda's jurisprudence, particularly through participation as amici curiae in major constitutional and electoral cases.
According to the Chief Justice, such contributions demonstrate the value of stronger collaboration between academia and the courts.
To institutionalise that relationship, he revealed plans to establish a formal partnership between the Judiciary, through the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), and Makerere University School of Law.
The proposed Memorandum of Understanding is expected to create a framework for cooperation in judicial training, legal research, policy development and knowledge exchange.
Justice Malila, who previously lectured law at the University of Zambia before joining the judiciary, echoed the importance of strengthening ties between universities and judicial institutions.
“I spent many years teaching law at the University of Zambia, and there is a unique sense of fulfillment in meeting former students who have gone on to become leaders and professionals,” he said.
He praised Makerere University's standing as one of Africa's leading centres of higher learning and acknowledged its longstanding contribution to legal education across the continent.
Justice Malila also called for greater integration of Alternative Dispute Resolution into university curricula, arguing that legal education must evolve to prepare graduates for changing realities within justice systems.
“One of the objectives of the Africa Chief Justices’ ADR Forum is to encourage universities and training institutions to mainstream ADR. We want to reach a point where students can specialize in ADR and graduate as professional ADR practitioners,” he said.
He observed that while litigation remains an important component of legal practice, future justice systems will increasingly rely on mediation, arbitration, negotiation and other collaborative approaches capable of resolving disputes more efficiently.
Welcoming the two Chief Justices, Dean of Makerere University School of Law, Ronald Naluwairo, reaffirmed the institution's commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening access to justice and advancing ADR across Africa.
He congratulated Justice Malila on assuming leadership of the Africa Chief Justices' ADR Forum and pledged the school's support for efforts promoting legal innovation and judicial reform.
Prof. Naluwairo also highlighted Makerere University's longstanding contribution to Uganda's legal sector, noting that many of the country's top legal and judicial leaders, including the Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice, Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, are alumni of the institution.
The planned partnership is expected to strengthen the link between legal education and judicial practice, while supporting ongoing reforms aimed at creating a more efficient, accessible and responsive justice system.