Senior judicial officers have stressed the need for fairness integrity and reconciliation in the administration of justice as the Judicial Training Institute conducted a nationwide training on the new amended rules governing election petition disputes.
Addressing participants the Deputy Chief Justice Justice Richard Buteera urged judicial officers to uphold high standards of professionalism noting that court decisions should not only resolve disputes but also promote reconciliation between parties. He further stressed the importance of respecting the role of lawyers in litigation reminding officers that parties come to court with confidence in their legal representatives and that their participation must not be disregarded during mediation processes.
The Executive Director of the Judicial Training Institute Justice Professor Andrew Kawuka noted that the training is critical in ensuring magistrates and lawyers fully understand the amended rules to guarantee timely credible and effective adjudication of electoral disputes. He explained that the programme is part of ongoing efforts to improve case management systems and shorten timelines for case disposal with a focus on people centred justice.
Justice Christopher Izama Madrama also addressed the participants calling for greater adoption of mediation and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to achieve faster peaceful and mutually acceptable resolutions. He noted that Uganda’s justice system has long struggled with delays and procedural inefficiencies often worsened by the adversarial nature of litigation and practices such as trial by ambush and excessive interlocutory applications.
The training brought together judicial officers magistrates and lawyers from different parts of the country and was facilitated by experienced legal practitioners. It focused on equipping participants with practical knowledge on the amended procedural rules and the use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to enhance efficiency and strengthen electoral justice in Uganda.
Judicial authorities expressed confidence that the skills gained from the training will improve the handling of election petitions and contribute to a more responsive and credible justice system.