MBALE– The week-long Eastern Region Judicial Training on Case Management, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), and Judgment Writing officially commenced on Monday, at Wash and Wills Hotel in Mbale.
The training has brought together 63 Judicial Officers is jointly funded by the Government and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO).
Supreme Court’s Justice Mike Chibita, Chairperson of the JTI Governing Council, presided over the opening ceremony. He described the training as timely and vital in tackling case backlog, urging judicial officers to embrace mediation not merely as an alternative but as a central pillar of justice delivery. He emphasized the need for a mindset shift from adversarial judging to facilitating dialogue and resolution, likening the training to “sharpening an axe before cutting down the tree” of case backlog.
JTI Executive Director Justice Prof. Andrew Khaukha encouraged innovative thinking in dispute resolution, while Deputy Chief Justice Emeritus, Justice Richard Buteera stressed the importance of structured court-accredited mediation and educating the public on ADR.
The Mbale High Court Circuit, Justice Farooq Lubega, described ADR as a cornerstone of timely and accessible justice, and Senior Counsel Francis Gimara called for vision-driven leadership, mentorship, and effective case management to reduce the backlog ofof over 40,000 cases and build public confidence in the Judiciary.
Ms Barbara Kilei, IDLO Country Director, reaffirmed IDLO’s commitment to supporting the Judiciary’s reform agenda, stating:
“ADR reflects constitutional values and aligns with our cultural and community-based approaches to justice. We are proud to walk alongside the Judiciary in transforming justice delivery into a faster, fairer, and more inclusive system.”
Day 1 also featured practical simulation sessions led by Retired Justice David Wangutusi, where participants were trained, among
other skills, on how to develop effective opening statements in mediation—recognized as a core determinant of successful dispute resolution.
Under the moderation of Ag. Registrar Lillian Bucyana, the programme will continue with modules on negotiation skills, arbitration, judgment writing, and plenary discussions.
At the end of the training, all participating Judges, Registrars and Magistrates will be accredited as court-accredited mediators by the Chief Justice.
In line with his (Chief Justice’s)directive for “training for results,” all participating courts will thereafter organize Settlement Fortnights to translate the lessons into measurable impact on case backlog reduction.
