Museveni Asks Judges to Encourage Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms

President Yoweri Museveni has asked Judges to consider norms, values, traditions and aspirations of Ugandans when handling disputes.

In his message read by the Vice President, Jessica Alupo, the president noted that Ugandans need quick and timely solutions to disputes and require to be treated with courtesy and simplified processes.
The president also added that justice will be meaningful to the people if Judges apply the constitutional principles in article 126 (2) in every case they handle. The principles include doing justice to all Ugandans irrespective of their social or economic status. He also asked the Judges to encourage alternative dispute resolution mechanisms such as Mediation, arbitration  and reconciliation.

This was during the official opening of the 25th Annual Judges conference in Kampala on Monday under theme People Centered Approach to justice.
Speaking at the same event, the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao told the Judicial officers that the excuses of not being effective at work by now should be reduced because the Parliament has equipped them with all additional tools in terms of human and financial resources.

He said they should be able to defend the interests of the people enshrined in the constitution and emphasized that no matter how bad one is, he or she is entitled to a speedy and fair trial.
He however noted that it  is wrong for the public to attack or  criticize the Judges over their decisions without  facts and described it as irresponsible, unfair and insupportable. He encouraged the officers to continue doing their work independently regardless of the criticisms.

On his part, the Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo emphasized that the Judiciary is still on course to continue littering more courts in the country to make sure that a justice seeker especially an ordinary person doesn’t have to trek longer distances in order to access court.

He requested the government to add the Judiciary more funds to make it 800 billion shillings from the current 381 billion shillings such that work can be handled expeditiously with proper resources both financial and human.