____________________

The head of the Land Division of the High Court has urged the Police and Resident District Commissioners (RDC) to prioritise and respect court orders.

“We have received complaints against Police and RDCs. They do not want to execute court orders. Court must be respected,” Justice Alexandra Nkonge Rugadya says.

Rugadya made the call during the National Open Court Day organised by the Judiciary at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in Kampala on Monday, April 15, 2024.

Present at the function was Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, justice minister Norbert Mao, Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, Principal Judge Dr Flavian Zeija, Chief Registrar Sarah Langa-Siu, as well as other judges, registrars, and magistrates from different divisions, along with members of the public.

Embrace arbitration

Rugadya, accompanied by 10 judges and five registrars of the land Division, urged the public to embrace arbitration as a means of reducing case backlog. 

According to her, the land Division has 10,000 pending cases, with 4,000 now classified as backlog cases. A case is considered part of the backlog if it is remains unresolved for two years or more.

Rugadya further clarified that despite the availability of arbitration, many people prefer to pursue litigation. The Land Division, which consists of 11 judges, handles cases from the jurisdictions of Kampala and Wakiso districts.

The occasion was marked under the theme: A People-Centered Approach to Justice. Improving a people-centered approach to justice involves prioritising the needs, experiences and rights of individuals within the legal system

The Land Division handles land matters valued at shillings 50 million and above. Rugandya emphasised that Kibanja holders must present a sale agreement in court or demonstrate that they have occupied the land for over 12 years.