MUSEVENI PLEDGES SUPPORT TO TRADITIONAL JUSTICE

President Museveni. Courtesy photo
 
URN

President Yoweri Museveni has pledged to provide financial support to the judiciary towards rejuvenating the traditional methods of dispute resolution as opposed to the colonial way of litigation.

The President's promise was contained in a message delivered by Vice President, Jessica Alupo while officiating at a two-day Africa Chief Justices' summit on Alternative Dispute Resolution in Kampala on Tuesday.

Museveni said the African Traditional way of resolving conflicts is cheaper, and timely and leaves warring parties contented as opposed to prolonged processes. 
Some studies have found that the customary justice system offers a big advantage over the state judicial system in terms of physical access and costs.
According to the President, there is a need to formalize Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanisms to clear case -backlog. 

On his part, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo noted that only five percent of Ugandans can access the Court adding it is high time that African courts embrace Alternative Dispute Resolution for its overwhelming benefits including promoting communal peace.

He has given an example of the war-torn Northern Uganda where guns stopped 18 years ago but the formal justice system has done nothing to bring justice and healing to the society which up to date seeks reconciliation for the atrocities mounted against them by the LRA.

The two-day summit has attracted Chief Justices from various countries among others, Uganda, Botswana, Eswatini, Tanzania, Malawi, and South Sudan on Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Mestil hotel in Kampala.

The Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Norbert Mao has since indicated that the Government has since finalized a policy to regulate governance of Alternative Dispute Resolution in the country.