MBALE– The Acting Principal Judge, Lady Justice Okuo Jane Kajuga, has officially closed a week-long regional training on Case Management and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) held at Wash and Wills Hotel, Mbale.
The programme brought together Judges, Registrars, and Magistrates from the High Court Circuits of Mbale, Tororo, Kumi, Soroti, and Moroto, in a unique setting that broke traditional hierarchical barriers by allowing a cross-section of grades of Judicial Officers to train together and learn from one another.
In her remarks, Lady Justice Kajuga underscored that the true measure of the training’s impact would be in how participants applied the
acquired skills to dispose of cases, especially through the daily use of ADR mechanisms. Drawing from the Judiciary Case Census Report, she urged judicial officers to reflect on their individual pending caseloads and recommit to effective judicial leadership in managing them.
She stressed the importance of accurate data capture for planning and decision-making, noting the persistent challenge of mediation disposals being incorrectly recorded as consent judgments. To support improvement, she rolled out a mentorship and guidance programme for Eastern Uganda, with Justice Wangutusi serving as a mentor in collaboration with Circuit Judges, an initiative launched earlier by the Hon. Chief Justice in the Northern and Western Regions.
All participants received Instruments of Appointment as Court-Accredited Mediators and were directed to immediately identify suitable cases for mediation and prepare to handle them.
The Head of Mbale High Court Circuit, Justice Farooq Lubega, expressed gratitude to the Acting Principal Judge for officiating, assuring her that the lessons learned would translate into better performance in ADR and mediation in the region.
Justice Prof. Andrew Khaukha, the Executive Director of the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), commended faculty members; Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, Principal Judge Emeritus Yorokamu Bamwine, Retired Judge of the High Court David K. Wangutusi, for their wealth of knowledge and contribution to reforms aimed at efficiency in adjudication and case flow management.
The closing ceremony also featured a presentation by Mr. Joseph Ssinabulya, Principal Information Maintenance Officer, on the effective use of the Court Case Administration System (CCAS) to improve data management and reporting. The Deputy Chief Justice Emeritus challenged officers to take full responsibility for their data entry processes.
Proceedings concluded with the signing of a Recommitment Compact, in which Judicial Officers pledged to implement effective and efficient case management mechanisms. The ceremony was moderated by HW Lillian Bucyana, Ag. Registrar JTI, and HW Zulaika Nanteza, Ag. Registrar ADR.
