Deputy Chief Justice Tells High Court Judges to Prioritize Oldest Cases and Improve Data Entry

Deputy Chief Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi told High Court judges to stop citing understaffing and inadequate funding as reasons for case delays and instead develop local solutions to improve management. He made the remarks at the opening of the High Court Quarterly Performance Review Retreat at Jinja Nile Resort on 26 June 2026.

The two-day meeting gathered Heads of Circuits, Heads of Divisions and Registrars to review case management and strategies for better access to justice.

Kawumi, who chairs the Case Backlog Reduction Committee, urged officers to prioritise the oldest pending cases and enter accurate data into the Electronic Court Case Management System. He welcomed a recently enacted law that expands the civil jurisdiction of Chief Magistrates and Grade One Magistrates, saying it should ease High Court congestion.

Kawumi cautioned against moving cases to lower courts only to improve backlog statistics, stating that proper records management is required to prevent lost files and unnecessary appeals.

"As judicial officers, we must ask ourselves how we can become more effective despite the challenges," he said. "Effective case transfer requires proper records management to avoid lost files and unnecessary appeals. " Kawumi also criticised avoidable adjournments and poor communication with court users.

Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo congratulated Kawumi on his appointment as Deputy Chief Justice and Agnes Alum on her appointment as Chief Registrar during the retreat, AllAfrica reported.