Kampala, Uganda | In a significant move to modernize Uganda’s judicial system, the Supreme Court has rolled out appellate mediation a pilot initiative aimed at unclogging the court’s case backlog while transforming how justice is delivered.
Deputy Registrar Elizabeth Ogwal Akullo revealed that 14 appeal cases have been identified for this alternative dispute resolution approach, with five already in the mediation pipeline.
The introduction of appellate mediation marks a landmark reform in Uganda’s highest court, signaling a shift from rigid litigation to more flexible, people-centered justice mechanisms.
Under the model, parties in selected appeal cases voluntarily engage in dialogue led by trained mediators with a goal of reaching binding settlements within 60 days.
“…This is part of a broader institutional transformation…,” Akullo said. “…It reflects the judiciary’s commitment to innovation, speed and cost-efficiency in dispute resolution…”
Experts say if successful, the pilot could be scaled up to other courts and eventually become a standard option in the appellate process helping Uganda match global trends in modern justice administration.
Legal commentators have praised the move as timely, given the high number of pending cases and the burden on both court infrastructure and litigants.