Chief Registrar Agnes Alum has pledged to strengthen monitoring, training and accountability in the implementation of the State Funded Legal Representation programme, signalling a renewed push to improve oversight and access to justice for indigent litigants.
Alum made the commitment during the Quarter Four FY 2025/2026 meeting of the State Funded Legal Representation Implementation Committee held on Monday afternoon at the Supreme Court Building in Kampala, where she chaired the session for the first time since her appointment.
She said the programme required stronger field supervision beyond administrative reporting, urging members to resume regular monitoring visits across the country.
“The last field monitoring exercise was conducted in September 2024. We need to resume these engagements and assess how the programme is being implemented across the country,” she said.
Alum also called for expanded oversight beyond High Court-level cases to include matters handled in Chief Magistrates’ Courts, saying this would provide a more complete picture of implementation.
She noted that stakeholder training had not been conducted since 2023 and proposed renewed collaboration with the Judicial Training Institute to support continuous capacity building for advocates, registrars and magistrates involved in the programme.
The meeting also reviewed progress on the Roll of State Funded Advocates, which members said had been largely finalised in principle and should now be circulated for stakeholder feedback before final adoption.
Alum directed the Secretariat to circulate the Committee work plan by the end of the week to guide activities as the financial year draws to a close and preparations begin for FY 2026/2027.
“As a new Chair to this Committee, I undertake to be available and diligent to steer the Committee forward from now on,” she said.
Committee members welcomed her leadership, expressing confidence in improved coordination and outcomes under her stewardship.
Among the resolutions reached was the proposal to establish a Monitoring Sub-Committee to conduct field visits, gather data and develop implementation tools.
Members also agreed to undertake audit and monitoring activities in the next quarter and to work with the Monitoring and Evaluation Secretariat to develop a specialised monitoring tool for the programme.
