Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Efforts to expand Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) centres across Uganda are gaining momentum as the judiciary seeks to tackle the persistent challenge of case backlog in courts. The Chief Justice, Flavian Zeija, has called for the creation of ADR centres nationwide, saying the approach could significantly reduce delays in the justice system.
Speaking at a high-level ADR conference dubbed Gumzo La ADR, a Kiswahili expression meaning dialogue, Zeija said ADR offers faster, more affordable, and socially harmonious ways to resolve disputes, reducing the prolonged delays that often plague the formal judicial system. The conference has attracted government officials from Uganda, legal practitioners from various countries across Africa, and several international partners.
The initiative seeks to mainstream ADR across courts and communities so that citizens can settle conflicts efficiently while restoring relationships and promoting societal stability. Zeija said Uganda is accelerating reforms in its justice system by embracing ADR mechanisms to make justice faster, more affordable, and culturally aligned.
He noted that courts often resolve cases without addressing the underlying disputes, which leaves many aggrieved litigants eager to appeal court decisions. According to the Chief Justice, if ADR centres existed in numbers comparable to law firms across the country, the issue of case backlog would have been eradicated.
Zeija also observed that only a fraction of Ugandans engage with formal judicial services, presenting ADR as a key avenue for inclusion. Drawing lessons from countries such as the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Sierra Leone, he emphasized the importance of mandatory pre-court mediation for select cases, particularly family and property matters. He further called for Uganda to adopt international frameworks such as the Singapore Convention on Mediation, which would allow mediated agreements to carry legal enforceability comparable to arbitration awards.
The Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Norbert Mao, said many citizens are often puzzled by prolonged court proceedings and the technical language used in legal processes. Mao noted that ADR offers a faster, more understandable, and affordable route to resolving disputes.
He added that the government engaged experts to develop a framework that mainstreams ADR, addresses case backlog, and makes dispute resolution cheaper and faster. The minister emphasized that ADR promotes reconciliation and restores relationships, drawing parallels with traditional Ugandan practices where families mediate conflicts to achieve harmony rather than rely solely on legal technicalities.
Mao cited an example involving the late Arua Municipality Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Abiriga, whose case of urinating on a wall at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development was resolved through mediation instead of being taken to court.
Mao reaffirmed government commitment to the ADR agenda, saying the reforms will continue regardless of changes in political leadership. Former Uganda Law Society President, Francis Gimara, described the conference as a vehicle to embed ADR in Uganda and across Africa.
“Over the next five days, we are moving ADR from the periphery to the heart of our justice ecosystem,” he said. Gimara explained that the gathering brings together public and private stakeholders to ensure ADR complements formal judicial processes, while benchmarking best practices across the continent to strengthen Uganda’s ADR capacity.“This gathering reflects a powerful partnership between the judiciary, government, and private sector, aimed at building homegrown dispute resolution mechanisms,” he added.
He said practical workshops during the conference are helping practitioners and officials understand their jurisdictional roles in ADR to ensure sustainability. Judge Professor Andrew Khauka, Executive Director of the Judiciary Training Institute, recalled the formation of committees tasked with translating recommendations from the committee led by Deputy Chief Justice Emeritus Richard Buteera into a national ADR policy and judiciary-led strategy.“We generated proposals, brought them to the Chief Justice, and integrated them into both the National ADR Policy and the Judiciary Alternative Justice System Strategy,” he said.
Khauka also acknowledged Mao’s hands-on support, revealing that during early meetings when there was no budget, the minister personally provided refreshments for staff using his mobile money.
He added that more than 400 mediators have since been trained, and their performance is regularly evaluated. “We are working to ensure these mediators can effectively address land, family, and administrative disputes, even in cases where government agencies are parties,” he said.
President of the East African Court of Justice, Nestor Kayobera, said cross-border ADR frameworks are emerging to resolve complex disputes more efficiently. “ADR mechanisms are emerging within the regional framework to handle cross-border issues, allowing traditional integration and family matters to be addressed effectively,” he said.
Kayobera added that regional collaboration enhances efficiency, economic cooperation, and continental prosperity while minimizing citizen frustration. The Gumzo La ADR conference is part of ongoing national efforts to strengthen ADR as a complementary pathway for resolving disputes.
In February 2025, the Government of Uganda approved the National ADR Policy, which promotes the use of ADR mechanisms across the country, including within Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. The initiative also complements the Judiciary Alternative Justice System Strategy issued in 2023, which seeks to create stronger linkages between the formal justice system and informal justice mechanisms to expand access to justice and promote community-based dispute resolution.
Additionally, the conference builds on continental commitments made during a March 2024 meeting of African judiciaries in Kampala, where Chief Justices agreed to promote ADR across the continent under the Africa Chief Justices ADR Forum.
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