Improve customer care, principal judge tells courts

The Principal Judge of Uganda, Flavian Zeija, has tasked members of the judicial system with improving their customer care by having a mutual understanding with members of the public on their role in dispensing justice to the citizens.

Justice Zeija said Ugandans travel long distances to access justice in courts, but they are sometimes ignored by court officials.

“We must exhibit customer care. We use this term in the judicial system. For example, when someone comes from a fishing village in Rubirizi and comes to get justice, they don’t know what to do or where to go.  When such a person arrives here, there should be court staff to help out, and whenever people come and are treated well, they will appreciate our work and find it easy to get what they want,” said Justice Zeija who was chief guest at the launch of the Bushenyi High Court Circuit on Tuesday.

The Bushenyi High Court Circuit is among the new circuits created in 2023 as part of the reorganisation, and the creation of new circuits is in line with the Judiciary’s transformation agenda, which will ensure easy and quick access to justice. The transformation agenda focuses on enhancing access to justice services across Uganda to meaningfully enable the population to access justice.
The circuit serves the five Bushenyi greater districts of Bushenyi, Sheema, Buhweju, Rubirizi and Buhweju, whose residents have been moving to Mbarara to access High Court services.

The supervisor of the justices of the High Court called on the judges to always carry out meetings with the members of the public and key stakeholders to help the consumers of the service get it without difficulty.

“Let us conduct regular stakeholder engagements. In the past, judges would not interact with the public, and they would move while hiding, but these days we have changed. You need the public. How do you serve the people you don’t talk to? You are our bosses. Why shouldn’t we talk to our bosses? Our judges should have an open-door policy in which they interact with members of the public and explain to them what happens in court,” he remarked.

Justice Zeija used the same platform to ask chief magistrates to organise meetings with the village councils since they are crucial in the court system and also use the available communication platforms to sensitise communities on the services available in court, adding that they should encourage and promote the use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to tackle the challenge of case backlogs in courts.

“This traditional way of resolving disputes will help us reduce the case backlog. Religious leaders, court-accredited officials, and any other respected person in the community can help in mediation to minimise expenses because coming to court means spending money,” Dr. Zeija advised.
The Bushenyi district chairperson, Mr. Jafari Basajabalaba, said that while the government has enhanced the payment of judicial officers, there is still room for upscale salaries and facilitation for other players involved in the justice system.

“We thank the president for having enhanced salaries, but it is not good to boost the salaries of the judiciary and leave out other players like the police and prisons. This cripples the delivery of justice in the country.” Said Mr. Basajabalaba.