URSB saves govt sh8.7b in civil cases, legal costs

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The Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) has saved the government sh8.7b in legal fees and civil cases won over two financial years.

URSB Registrar General Mercy Kainobwisho said the entity won 18 civil cases in the courts of law in the financial year 2022/2023, saving the Government shillings 1.45 billion, and 10 cases in the financial year 2023/2024, saving the Government shillings 1.1 billion.

URSB also saved the Government of 6.2 billion in legal fees last financial year by successfully negotiating legal costs, having concluded 27 cases.

Mercy Kainobwisho made the disclosure on June 25, 2025, during the launch of the inaugural edition of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) case digest at the bureau’s offices in Kololo, Kampala.

The digest captures both court rulings and URSB’s quasi-judicial decisions.

She also disclosed that the bureau secured 27 convictions in trademark forgery and counterfeiting cases, resulting in the government raising revenue worth shillings 8.8 million in fines.

Caroline Egesa, Commissioner Legal Services addresses delegates during the launch of the inaugural edition of Uganda Registration Services Bureau case digest 2025 at the Uganda Business Facilitation Centre in Kololo on 25th June 2025. (Photo by Juliet Kasirye)

Furthermore, Kainobwisho stated that counterfeit goods worth shillings 100.6 million were disposed of in accordance with national environmental standards.

She said by documenting their decisions, URSB is not only promoting transparency but also creating a repository of legal knowledge that will guide practitioners, businesses, scholars and the public.

“This digest will serve as a tool for education, precedent and the continuous evolution of our legal system,” she said.

Kainobwisho stated that access to legal information is fundamental to the advancement of justice and the promotion of good governance.

Supreme Court Judge Mike Chibita said the case digest unveiled by URSB is a powerful symbol of the Bureau’s steadfast commitment to promoting legal clarity, expanding institutional knowledge and driving the ongoing transformation of Uganda’s business and legal environment.

“The case digest serves as an indispensable resource; a practical compass guiding us toward greater clarity, efficiency and fairness in the administration of justice, particularly in matters that drive our economy,” he said.

Chibita also said the case digest is an authoritative reference that captures the evolution of jurisprudence within URSB’s vast mandate from business registration, intellectual property rights, insolvency, secured transactions, and document authentication.

The Justice said over the years, the Bureau has not only facilitated registration and compliance but also played a quasi-judicial role, adjudicating disputes and making critical decisions that shape business conduct, protect intellectual property, and ensure orderly insolvency processes.

For entrepreneurs and investors, Chibita said the digest will provide clear precedents on matters relating to company registration, insolvency, and intellectual property rights, which will reduce uncertainty, encouraging investment and economic growth.

For academic students, he said it will enrich legal education, bridging the gap between theory and actual practice.

URSB board of directors chairperson Francis Butagira said the publication will empower entrepreneurs and innovators by demystifying the legal processes that underpin the country’s commercial justice system.

The case digest creates an enabling environment where businesses can thrive, rights can be protected, and justice can be served efficiently,” he said.

Butagira encouraged all stakeholders to utilise the publication and continue collaborating to establish a robust legal ecosystem that supports innovation, protects rights, and drives Uganda’s progress on the national, regional, and international stages.

URSB Commissioner for legal services Caroline Egesa said, unlike traditional law reports, the publication blends court findings on the bureau’s mandates and quasi-judicial decisions, providing parties with avenue for timely and cost-effective dispute resolution.

She added that it highlights emerging trends in corporate, insolvency, and intellectual property law.

Egesa said that by compiling and analysing key decisions, URSB is advancing judicial consistency, strengthening legal advisory services, and fostering clarity in business operations.