14000 Cases Pending at the Court of Appeal

[Archival Sense]

More than 14,000 cases are pending before Uganda’s Court of Appeal, which is operating with 18 serving Justices against an approved establishment of 35, raising concerns about its capacity to clear the backlog.

Deputy Chief Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi disclosed the figures on Monday while opening a two-day civil session of the Court of Appeal at Mbale High Court, where 31 appeals are scheduled to be heard.

Kazibwe said the shortage of 17 Justices, coupled with inadequate funding and staffing gaps, places additional pressure on the available judicial officers and affects the court’s ability to handle its caseload.

The Mbale session is part of efforts to hear pending appeals and improve access to justice. However, the 31 cases scheduled for consideration represent only a small portion of the more than 14,000 matters awaiting resolution.

Kazibwe called for stronger cooperation among justice sector institutions, arguing that reducing the backlog cannot be the responsibility of the Judiciary alone.

He said the timely resolution of cases depends on every institution in the justice chain fulfilling its mandate, highlighting the need for a coordinated approach to addressing challenges affecting the administration of justice.

The Court of Appeal hears appeals from decisions of the High Court and other matters within its jurisdiction. The staffing figures disclosed in Mbale highlight the scale of the challenge facing the court as it works to manage its growing caseload.

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