Uganda Christian Lawyers Fraternity

The Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, has pledged her support for the Small Claims Procedure (SCP), commending its role in resolving disputes promptly and encouraging other court processes to draw lessons from its approach. She made the remarks today during a courtesy call made by the SCP team, led by the Chairperson of the Small Claims Implementation Committee, Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire, at her chambers. The team briefed the Principal Judge on the programme’s background, achievements and implementation challenges. Welcoming the team, Lady Justice Abodo appreciated their commitment and outreach efforts. She noted that she had seen reports on social media the previous day about the team’s engagements in Paidha and Pakwach. The Principal Judge observed that the benefits of the Small Claims Procedure, particularly its emphasis on resolving cases without prolonged proceedings, deserved greater recognition. She pledged to champion the programme and support its continued development. Justice Kiryabwire traced the origins of SCP to a visit to the United Kingdom, where he encountered the concept before introducing it to the Judiciary. He recalled that the programme initially faced resistance and limited funding. Its pilot phase received Shs50 million to support six stations—an amount he said was sufficient for only one station. He acknowledged the stakeholders who supported the initiative and helped secure funding from DANIDA. On implementation, Justice Kiryabwire explained that the Committee previously brought together Chief Magistrates from different regions for review meetings. The approach has since evolved, with the team travelling to the regions to engage court staff and assess progress. He welcomed the continued financial support for SCP and the recent allocation of a new vehicle to facilitate its work. Justice Kiryabwire also highlighted the programme’s institutional growth, noting that it had initially operated under the Planning Registry before moving to the Commercial Division. He expressed the team’s aspiration for SCP to become a fully established registry. Addressing implementation challenges, he referred to the litigation in Ssejemba v Attorney General. He explained that the team’s approach has been to transfer matters in which advocates seek to participate to the ordinary court process, treating such matters as requiring consideration outside the simplified procedure. He added that proposed amendments to the Small Claims Procedure Rules would await the determination of the matter before the Supreme Court. The Assistant Registrar, HW Mulondo, introduced the team, which included HW Jackline Kagoya, Chief Magistrate of Buikwe; HW Joanita Muwanika, Magistrate at the Law Development Centre; Mr. Isaac Sserunkuma, Senior Statistician; and Ms. Beatrace Naava, Statistician. Also present was HW Edgar Nyakairu, Personal Assistant to the Principal Judge