Lawyers in the Greater Masaka region have threatened to go on strike over the persistent shortage of High Court judges, a situation they say has crippled the delivery of justice in the area.
Alexander Lule, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) Representative for Masaka Chapter, the legal practitioners will commence a sit-down strike on Monday, June 16, demanding the urgent deployment of at least one additional High Court judge to the Masaka circuit.
“We won’t return to court until our concerns are addressed,” said Lule. “One judge cannot handle the overwhelming case backlog in this region. The judiciary must come to the rescue of our clients.”
The Masaka High Court circuit, which serves Masaka City and over nine surrounding districts, currently has only one sitting judge—primarily assigned to criminal cases.
According to the High Court registry, as of April 10, 2025, the circuit was grappling with a backlog of 4,290 pending cases, including 1,188 land matters, 1,141 civil suits, and 455 family-related disputes.
Lule noted that previous appeals to the judiciary for increased staffing have gone unanswered.
“We have endured chronic delays, frequent adjournments, and limited engagement from court officials. We are now left with no choice but to take collective action,” he said.
Lawyer Herbert Zikusooka underscored the broader impact of the shortage, pointing out that although the region has four chief magistrates and over 20 Grade One magistrates, appeals and High Court bail applications remain stuck due to the absence of judges.
“Our clients are being denied timely justice,” he said, citing the stalled bail applications of National Unity Platform (NUP) bodyguards Edward Ssebufu, Achilleo Kivumbi, Mugumya Gadafi, and Grace Wakabi—whom he represents.
A petition signed by 26 lawyers in the region confirms their commitment to a total work stoppage until the judiciary resolves the staffing gaps.
They argue that filing new cases while thousands remain pending is not only unjust but professionally unethical.
“We cannot continue charging clients when we know their matters will not be heard,” said lawyer David Kichoncho. “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Another lawyer, Sam Ssekyewa, echoed the frustration, saying the lack of judicial presence has eroded public trust and driven clients away.
“Masaka deserves at least three resident judges. If other regions like Mukono can have more than one, why not us?” he asked.
Responding to the strike, Judiciary spokesperson James Ereemye Mawanda acknowledged the broader challenge of inadequate judicial personnel nationwide but called for patience.
“We understand the frustrations. The judiciary has been lobbying for additional appointments, and we remain optimistic that with the rollout of new circuits, more judges will be posted to high-demand areas,” he said.
However, legal practitioners in Masaka insist they will not return to court without a firm commitment from the judiciary.
With legal activity now stalled, thousands of litigants remain in limbo, deepening what many are calling one of the region’s most critical judicial crises in recent years.
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