Embrace alternative dispute resolution or watch Judiciary collapse, Justice Kiryabwire warns

Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire has issued a stark warning that Uganda's judiciary faces collapse if it does not increasingly adopt alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods. He emphasized that the current formal legal system is overwhelmed, leading to significant delays and a backlog of cases. Embracing ADR, such as mediation and arbitration, is presented as a crucial strategy to alleviate this pressure and ensure access to justice.

Senior advocate Francis Butagira echoed these concerns, highlighting the strain on the formal judicial infrastructure. The call for greater reliance on ADR signifies a need for a more efficient and accessible justice system that can handle the volume of disputes effectively.

The warning matters because an overburdened judiciary hinders economic development and public trust by delaying justice and making legal recourse inefficient.