Museveni commends Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo for championing ADR

AGAGO - President Yoweri Museveni has commended Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo for spearheading the promotion of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Uganda’s justice system.

Speaking at a Thanksgiving ceremony organised by the family of Owiny-Dollo in Agago District on Saturday, July 12, 2025, the President said the Chief Justice will be remembered for his significant contribution in localising and promoting indigenous approaches to justice.

“The biggest contribution of Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo will be to accept our view and download and indigenise it into the judiciary system of Uganda, because the system we found here is childish. They say it is a Western system but you see a lot of childishness in it. There is a case where they say that someone can go to court and say that they have a right to keep quiet. I want to congratulate the Chief Justice for downloading our indigenous concepts of justice into what we call Dispute Alternative Resolution ( ADR),” Museveni said.

ADR means different ways people can resolve disputes without a trial.

According  to Uganda’s  judicial system, when a court rules that an accused person has a case to answer, the individual is given three options:

To give sworn testimony, in which case they will be cross-examined by the prosecution, to make an unsworn statement, they cannot be cross-examined; or to remain silent and leave the matter to the court to decide based on the evidence presented by prosecution.

The President described such a judicial system as ‘childish’.

President Museveni said he was inspired to work with Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo because he rejected divisive politics and tribal sentiments.

He praised Owiny-Dollo for dismissing false narratives spread by past leaders who claimed that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) was against the Acholi people.

He added while some individuals aligned themselves with rebel leaders like Joseph Kony and Alice Lakwena, Owiny-Dollo stood firm and rejected their destructive ideologies.

“That is how we eventually linked up with Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo,” Museveni said.
Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo said when he was appointed to the position in 2020, the Judiciary’s budget stood at sh198 billion. Since then, it has grown to about sh450 billion, and he expressed hope that it will eventually be increased to shs800 billion.

Addressing the gathering, Owiny-Dollo said it is by God's grace that he has been able to overcome numerous challenges during his tenure as  a judge and childhood  experiences he intends to share in his upcoming book titled "The Will of Destiny."