The Uganda Judiciary and the Commonwealth have explored opportunities to strengthen judicial cooperation in response to emerging challenges in justice delivery, including the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), climate change-related disputes and the growing need for specialised judicial capacity.
The discussions took place yesterday when the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Ms. Shirley Botchwey, paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Chief Justice, Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi, at the Court of Appeal in Kampala. The engagement highlighted opportunities for knowledge exchange, capacity building and sharing best practices across Commonwealth jurisdictions.
Ms. Botchwey was received by Justices Christopher Gashirabake and Musa Ssekaana, who welcomed her on behalf of the Deputy Chief Justice. She was accompanied by a delegation that included Ambassador Kwabena Osei-Danquah, Chief of Staff to the Secretary-General; Ms. Ernestina Beaky-Yeadon, Office Manager; Ms. Anita Collins, Advisor; Ms. Game Dibeela, Political Advisor for the Africa Region; and Ms. Teopista Kabahweza, Administrative Attaché at the Uganda High Commission in London, among others.
Also present were the Chief Registrar, HW Agnes Alum; HW Mulalira Faisal Umar, Private Legal Secretary to the Deputy Chief Justice; HW Kabugho Byakutaga Caroline, a Council member of the Commonwealth Magistrates’ and Judges’ Association (CMJA) representing East, Central and Southern Africa; and HW Aloyo Jennifer, Research Magistrate attached to the chambers of Lady Justice Florence Nakachwa.
In his remarks, delivered by Justice Gashirabake, the Deputy Chief Justice welcomed Ms. Botchwey and underscored the longstanding relationship between Uganda and the Commonwealth, particularly the shared commitment to the rule of law, access to justice, judicial independence and the protection of human rights.
He highlighted reforms undertaken by the Judiciary to improve service delivery, including the promotion of alternative justice mechanisms, enhanced case management, the use of technology, mediation and other alternative dispute resolution approaches.
The Deputy Chief Justice also emphasised the value of Uganda’s membership in the CMJA, noting that cooperation among judicial officers should extend beyond conferences to include structured exchanges, professional attachments and practical learning opportunities that enable jurisdictions to share experiences and improve justice delivery.
He pointed to Zambia’s One-Stop Centre model for addressing sexual and gender-based violence as an example of a practice from which jurisdictions could learn. The model brings together police, probation officers, medical personnel, counsellors and legal service providers to support victims while facilitating investigations and the handling of cases.
On emerging legal issues, he highlighted the need to strengthen judicial capacity to handle climate change and environmental disputes, particularly as Uganda approaches oil production and faces increasingly complex questions relating to natural resources and environmental protection.
He also noted the growing role of digital systems and AI in judicial administration, legal research, case management and access to court services. He emphasised that the adoption of such technologies must be accompanied by safeguards to protect judicial independence, due process, privacy, transparency and accountability.
On commercial justice, the Deputy Chief Justice highlighted the importance of efficient dispute resolution in supporting trade, small and medium-sized enterprises and young entrepreneurs. He cited the Small Claims Procedure, which handles eligible claims below UGX 10 million, as one of the mechanisms that enables quicker resolution of disputes and recovery of debts.
He further identified opportunities for comparative learning in criminal and civil justice, human rights adjudication, judicial administration and emerging areas of law. He stressed that such exchanges should enable jurisdictions to learn from one another while adapting good practices to their respective legal and institutional contexts, rather than importing foreign models wholesale.
The Deputy Chief Justice proposed a structured programme of cooperation between Uganda and the Commonwealth, covering judicial exchanges, professional attachments, expert-led training, comparative jurisprudence, technical assistance and institutional partnerships.
In her response, Ms. Botchwey welcomed the proposals and said the Commonwealth Secretariat would consider the areas raised and explore opportunities for capacity building and technical assistance, particularly in AI, e-justice and climate change-related disputes. She also highlighted the potential of Commonwealth judicial networks to facilitate connections between jurisdictions with relevant expertise and experience.
Ms. Botchwey commended Uganda’s ongoing judicial reforms, including the launch in August 2026 of the Judiciary’s Administration of Justice Programme Strategy, efforts to reduce case backlog and decongest prisons, the implementation of the Administration of the Judiciary Act, 2020, the expansion of digital court systems and the promotion of alternative dispute resolution.
She also welcomed the March 2026 Constitutional Court decision nullifying provisions of the Computer Misuse Act, 2022, and the Government’s decision to comply with the ruling without appealing it.
The Secretary-General encouraged Uganda to share its experiences and reforms with other Commonwealth jurisdictions. She reaffirmed the importance of the Latimer House Principles and the Commonwealth Charter, which emphasise judicial independence, impartiality, integrity, fair trial rights, participation of accused persons in proceedings and effective legal representation.
She invited the Judiciary to identify additional areas where Commonwealth support could be useful and expressed confidence in Uganda’s continued commitment to upholding the Constitution and the rule of law.
During the discussions, participants explored how the areas identified could be translated into practical cooperation through skills development, training, technical assistance and judicial exchanges. The Commonwealth Secretariat advised the Judiciary to formalise its priorities, identify the expertise and partner jurisdictions required, and outline possible funding arrangements. The Chief Registrar was tasked with coordinating the process.
The meeting also explored the possibility of matching jurisdictions with complementary experiences and needs. Bangladesh’s engagement with South Africa on election-related matters, with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was cited as an example of how jurisdictions could learn from one another.
Justice Gashirabake noted that Uganda also had experiences to share, including the decentralisation of Court of Appeal services to Mbarara and Gulu to bring appellate justice closer to the public, as well as the expansion of the Judiciary’s infrastructure to more than 267 courthouses across the country.
The Chief Registrar welcomed the engagement and the opportunities it presented for strengthening institutional cooperation and improving the delivery of justice.
HW Kagoya Jackline observed that CMJA Council members played an important role in identifying challenges and sharing good practices across jurisdictions. She noted that funding constraints sometimes limited research and training initiatives, making practical exchanges particularly valuable. She also highlighted the opportunity to share Uganda’s approach to addressing gender-based violence, which she had presented in Jamaica.
HW Mulalira Faisal Umar highlighted Uganda’s experience in handling international crimes through the International Crimes Division and the country’s efforts to expand access to justice. He noted that Uganda’s prosecution of international crimes complemented the work of the International Criminal Court and expressed readiness to share training materials on human rights and the Latimer House Principles with other jurisdictions.
The engagement highlighted the value of sustained cooperation among Commonwealth jurisdictions in strengthening judicial institutions, sharing expertise and responding to evolving legal and justice delivery challenges.
Courtsey of Rose Ampurira & Danielle Nalukenge