Agency
President Yoweri Museveni has said that the courts should not be the first destination for resolving grievances, urging judicial officers to actively guide disputing parties toward Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and other appropriate justice mechanisms.
Museveni said judges must proactively manage cases and steer litigants to mediation, reconciliation, and alternative justice systems so that courts can concentrate on serious and complex matters.
He noted that such an approach reduces pressure on the Judiciary while making justice more accessible, affordable, and meaningful to ordinary Ugandans.
The President made the remarks in a speech delivered by Vice President Jessica Alupo while officially opening the 27th Annual Judges’ Conference at Speke Resort, Munyonyo, on Monday.
Museveni stressed that promoting Alternative Dispute Resolution and Alternative Justice Systems is not a step backwards, but a return to justice approaches rooted in Uganda’s social realities and cultural values.
He commended retiring Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo for reforms undertaken during his tenure, particularly in strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution and Alternative Justice Systems, which have eased pressure on formal courts and expanded access to justice.
