Justice in Uganda

Starting on March 5th with aspirations of ending in May, eight Ugandan judges will be hearing 534 criminal cases in addition to other civil cases in the warring areas of northern and eastern Uganda. These judges will be dealing with criminal and civil cases that have been prolonged because of the instability in the region. Finally justice will (hopefully) be served to those who have been awaiting trial. This plan is part of an overall long-term strategy to bring about speedier trials. The implementation of this strategy has been granted 215 million shilling by the Prime Minister as part of the Emergency Reconstruction Programme.
There is a complexity to the judicial system in Uganda due its basis upon the British system; therefore, it can be difficult for cases to reach the appropriate court. As a result a build up of cases is not uncommon. There is also a gap in communication and authority between the Ugandan government and the judiciary, therefore, the government usually keeps from meddling in the courts' business. The attempts being made by the Ugandan government sound promising and should be a huge success if they are carried out properly. Only time will tell....