The Judiciary has revealed that up to 90 percent of disputes in Uganda are resolved outside the formal court system, with most conflicts settled at community level rather than in courtrooms.
According to the Judiciary, studies show that many citizens prefer resolving their issues within their communities to avoid the long and often costly court processes caused by limited manpower and a growing case backlog.
Speaking during the training of court mediators ahead of 2026, Justice Andrew Khuaka, the Executive Director of the Judicial Training Institute, clarified that this does not indicate a loss of confidence in the courts, but rather the public’s desire for faster, less burdensome dispute-resolution methods.
‘It is not true that people are running to the courts instead of using ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution). Studies show that 90 percent of disputes in this country are resolved in the communities,’ Justice Khuaka said.
‘When we talk about communities, we mean our villages-under the mango tree one afternoon, and the mulberry tree another-where community members gather to resolve disputes,’ he added.
He added that only 10 percent of disputes end up in the formal courts, often taking between five and seven years to conclude due to resource constraints.
Informal structures such as village meetings, clan gatherings, and community mediators, he said, remain central to conflict resolution nationwide. Judiciary statistics show that 19,211 small claims were concluded in the last financial year, enabling litigants to recover Shs4.63 billion without a single full hearing.
Last month, the Chief Justice directed all courts to conduct a nationwide ‘settlement fortnight’ in November, encouraging parties to pursue out-of-court settlements. Justice Khuaka said the initiative delivered remarkable results.
‘One of the cases concluded during the settlement fortnight was 50 years old. This was in Alebtong, and it was resolved through mediation,’ he noted.
The Judiciary estimates that if newly trained mediators each handle at least two cases per month, Uganda could record up to 48,000 mediations annually, greatly easing pressure on the courts.
Under the revised system, accredited mediators will serve for one year, required to handle a prescribed number of cases, file reports with ADR focal judges, and uphold strict impartiality and confidentiality before renewal of accreditation.
The renewed push for ADR comes as the Judiciary grapples with a heavy backlog of 190,793 pending cases as of the end of the last financial year.
Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo said timely and affordable justice requires stronger collaboration with cultural, traditional, and faith-based leaders, who have long played a role in resolving community conflicts.