-Resolving Legal Cases, Addressing Case Backlogs
By Insight Post Uganda
Kampala-Uganda
The Ugandan Parliament has decided to increase the number of High Court judges from 83 to 151. This decision was made after discussions with the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Norbert Mao, who believes that more judges are needed to handle the large number of pending cases.
During a meeting chaired by Deputy Speaker- Thomas Tayebwa, a proposal was approved to raise the number of High Court judges from 83 to 151.
Mao argues that due to an increase in crime and civil disputes, there is a need to expand the High Court. He mentioned that the growing population and higher crime rates have resulted in a high demand for judicial services.
Additionally, the court is burdened with a significant backlog of cases due to its jurisdiction over various matters.
Mao also highlighted that there are numerous commercial disputes in the courts, which are negatively affecting the economy and making it difficult to conduct business in Uganda.
He mentioned that disputes worth over UGX8 trillion are currently unresolved, and it is essential to clear these cases to ensure the flow of money into the economy.
The motion to increase the number of judges received unanimous support from Members of Parliament. Abdallah Kiwanuka, a member of the National Unity Platform representing Mukono County North, called for an amendment to the Judicature Act to raise the financial jurisdiction of magistrate courts.
Currently, these courts can only handle matters up to a value of UGX50 million, which results in smaller claims burdening the High Court.
“Even a plot of land which costs Shs55 million has to go to the High Court; there is a need to amend the law to increase the monetary value of the matters handled by magistrates courts,” he said.
Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi expressed the necessity of increasing the number of judges, especially after the recent enactment of the Administration of the Judiciary Act.
He emphasized that the increased allocation to the Judiciary requires sufficient members on the Bench to ensure value for money.
Bosco Okiror, the MP for Usuk County, emphasized the importance of supporting the Judiciary and the need for swift dispensation of justice.
He pointed out that criminal cases often take a long time to resolve, and with this decision, criminal matters should be treated with the same urgency as civil cases.
According to Article 138(b) of the Constitution, Parliament has the authority to determine the appropriate number of High Court judges to ensure the fair and efficient administration of justice.
Benefits
Increasing the number of judges means adding more individuals to the judiciary who are responsible for hearing and deciding on legal cases, according to our Analysis Desk.
By increasing the number of judges, the workload of the court can be distributed among a larger group of individuals, which can help to reduce the backlog of pending cases and ensure that cases are resolved promptly.
However, this decision is often made in response to a high volume of cases or a need for the justice system to handle the growing demands of the population.
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