The Judiciary has launched a new initiative aimed at fast-tracking the hearing of criminal cases in High Court circuits across Uganda.
The campaign was announced today by Acting Principal Judge Jane Okuo Kajuga at the High Court Criminal Division in Kampala. The goal is to ensure that each High Court judge manages at least 20 criminal cases per month.
“This initiative will begin as a pilot in selected circuits, with a minimum of two judges assigned per circuit, to avoid affecting civil case hearings. The pilot circuits include Mbarara, Wakiso, Luweero, Mukono, and Entebbe,” Kajuga explained.
She noted that the initiative follows a Judiciary review, which found that many individuals on remand often experience lengthy delays before their cases are scheduled for trial, contributing to the growing backlog in the system.
“With 89 High Court judges, we asked ourselves why each judge can’t handle at least 20 cases a month, instead of waiting for 40 cases to be heard in one criminal session,” Kajuga said.
While the program sets a baseline of 20 cases per month, judges who are able to handle more cases are encouraged to do so.
The initiative will focus on serious criminal cases, including rape, defilement, and murder, particularly those related to domestic issues.
The program is being rolled out by the Judiciary with support from the International Development Law Organization (IDLO).
