Keberamaido LCs tasked with guiding locals on use of small claims procedures
The engagement with Local Council One (LC1) chairpersons from Kaberamaido District was held at Kaberamaido Chief Magistrate's Court grounds on September 23, 2026.
The Uganda Judiciary has embarked on sensitising local council leaders on how to guide locals on matters related to small claims procedures (SCP). (Photo by Michael Onyinge)
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The Uganda Judiciary has embarked on sensitising local council leaders on how to guide locals on matters related to small claims procedures (SCP).
The engagement with Local Council One (LC1) chairpersons from Kaberamaido District was held at Kaberamaido Chief Magistrate's Court grounds on September 23, 2026.
The assistant registrar in charge of small claims procedures (SCP) in Uganda, Mastula Mulondo, said the initiative was another alternative way of achieving justice.
She said it was the role of local council leaders to first be equipped with the necessary knowledge so that they could later guide their communities.
Small claims procedures were first introduced in Uganda in 2012.
Mulondo said they had realised that the system was not performing well in the district, prompting the Judiciary to engage local leaders because they are often the first people residents approach when they have disputes.
“My humble request to you is for you to be our ambassadors. Tell your people who could be having such cases to report to courts to be helped,” she said.
She said small claims procedures were among the Judiciary's initiatives introduced to enhance access to justice for small and medium-sized businesses.
With records showing that Kaberamaido district was not performing well in handling small claims, there was hope that the sensitisation would lead to improvement.
The chief magistrate of Kaberamaido, Patricia Ndagire, said the court was available to offer services to the people.
“As a presiding chief magistrate, you can keep coming for the services since the small claims procedure is very fast. Go out there and spread the gospel such that our people can utilise this court for service and justice delivery that creates peace,” Ndagire said.
Finance, planning and administration secretary David Eluru Odia said the Judiciary had come at the right time, when the new LC leaders had assumed office.
He said the Judiciary had targeted the right people and expressed hope that the initiative would help fight insecurity that usually arises from disputes that are not properly handled at community level.
He said LC leaders should not persist in handling matters beyond their limits, but should refer such cases to the higher authorities mandated to handle matters beyond their jurisdiction.
The assistant resident district commissioner Kaberamaido, Rashid Adakun, said he expected more peace as the local leaders would be better equipped to guide people on how to handle small claims.
LCs applaud Judiciary
A number of local council leaders who spoke appreciated the efforts of the Judiciary in sensitising them about procedures that many of them did not know.
Charles Odora said disputes involving small claims were very common, but the main challenge in many cases was obtaining evidence.
He said they would now guide their people on how to handle such cases, noting that the procedure was affordable, did not require lawyers, allowed people to use their local language and took a short period of time.
Brenda Amaso, the LC1 chairperson of Headquarters cell in Kaberamaido town council, said the initiative would be particularly helpful to women, who sometimes suffer because they are not properly guided.