Court Of Appeal Takes Civil Hearings To Mbale As 14,127 Cases Remain Pending

What the report says

The Court of Appeal has begun a two-day civil appeals sitting in Mbale, a move aimed at bringing appellate hearings closer to litigants in eastern Uganda who would otherwise travel to Kampala. The session runs from October 12 to 13 and was opened by Deputy Chief Justice Moses Kawumi Kazibwe, who said the Judiciary is trying to improve access to justice while dealing with major operational pressures.

According to the report, the court is facing 14,127 pending cases and a staffing gap, with 19 judges in post against an approved establishment of 35. Kazibwe said funding constraints remain a major challenge and argued that delays in case disposal are not caused by the Judiciary alone, pointing to slow police investigations, missed legal deadlines, delays in settlement approvals and shortages of state attorneys.

The Mbale sitting was welcomed by litigants from eastern Uganda, including people from Mbale and Busia, who said the decentralised service would reduce travel costs and inconvenience. Their cases included a land dispute, underscoring the practical burden of accessing appellate courts from distant districts.

The report also notes that government has started work on a Court of Appeal facility in Mbale, expected to be completed by the end of 2027. More broadly, the hearing reflects wider efforts in Uganda’s justice system to reduce backlog through measures such as alternative dispute resolution and faster hearings.