Joash Arthur Maangi, the High Commissioner-designate of Kenya to Uganda, has presented copies of his Letters of Credence to John Mulimba, Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

John Mulimba warmly welcomed Maangi, expressing Uganda’s commitment to further strengthening the bilateral ties that have been nurtured over many years. He emphasized the mutual respect and cooperation that define the relationship between the two countries and expressed Uganda’s readiness to explore new avenues of collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

Maangi conveyed warm greetings from President William Ruto and the people of Kenya, reaffirming Kenya’s dedication to enhancing diplomatic and economic relations with Uganda. He underscored the importance of continued economic and diplomatic cooperation in addressing regional and global challenges, promoting peace, security, and sustainable development.

He noted that Uganda is Kenya’s biggest trading partner, with a significant portion of Kenya’s food and fresh fruits coming from Uganda. He also mentioned the privilege of being posted to Uganda and highlighted key areas of cooperation, including addressing cross-border conflicts in the Turkana and Karamoja regions. Additionally, Maangi informed that President Ruto is considering increasing the number of One Stop Border Posts from two to further ease trade between the two countries.

Minister Mulimba assured Maangi of the Ministry’s full support during his tenure and expressed optimism that his appointment would usher in a new chapter of robust and dynamic relations between Kenya and Uganda. He called for a shift in the East African Community Integration from the summit level to people-to-people integration to realise actual economic and social benefits.

The presentation of the Letters of Credence marks a significant step in fortifying the ties between Kenya and Uganda, reflecting a shared vision of progress and prosperity.

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In a bid to reduce the growing backlog of cases in the judicial system, the Judiciary has announced an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Week dubbed Settlement Week, set to take place from August 5th to August 9th, 2024.

This initiative aims to resolve pending cases through Mediation and Negotiation, promoting a more efficient and people-centred justice system.

The participating courts include the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court, Land, Commercial, Civil, and Family Divisions, Mukono High Court Circuit, as well as Mengo and Makindye Chief Magistrates Courts.

Addressing the media at the Judiciary Headquarters in Kampala, Court of Appeal Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire, accompanied by Registrar High Court, HW Rosemary Bareebe, highlighted the importance of the ADR Week in resolving pending cases and reducing the backlog in the Judiciary system.

Justice Kiryabwire emphasized that the ADR Week provides a platform for parties to resolve disputes through Mediation and Negotiation, thereby reducing the need for lengthy and costly litigation.

He added, “The ADR Week is a new initiative aimed at making the justice system more people-centred and efficient,” said Justice Kiryabwire.

“We want to resolve disputes quickly and efficiently, reducing the time and resources spent on litigation.”

Justice Kiryabwire also noted that the Judiciary has been addressing concerns over low disposal rates and delays in case handling, in order to serve justice more efficiently and effectively. He observed that participation in the ADR Week is voluntary and encouraged parties to express interest, adding that some cases though have been selected by the courts for Mediation.

He said that the Judiciary has trained 75 court-accredited mediators to assist in the settlement process.

Justice Kiryabwire highlighted that even if Mediation fails, there are resources available to help parties negotiate and settle disputes. He emphasized that this approach is not new but rather a scaled-up version of traditional practices in Africa, now being implemented at a national level.

He also drew attention to other ADR mechanisms, such as Plea Bargaining, which have proven effective in reducing the time individuals spend on remand and improving the efficiency of the criminal justice system. He added that the aim is now to extend these benefits to civil cases, where conflicts often arise from everyday interactions.

Justice Kiryabwire pointed out that Mediation offers a win-win situation, unlike litigation, which usually results in a winner and a loser. He added that it also allows parties to negotiate solutions to their disputes, leading to higher satisfaction rates compared to court judgments.

HW Bareebe, representing the Chief Registrar, outlined the roadmap for the upcoming ADR Week. She noted that Registrars in the participating courts are currently identifying cases for the ADR Week and allocating them to Judicial Officers and accredited mediators for handling.

She noted that as part of the preparations, the ADR Committee will, before the commencement of the ADR Week, assess the readiness of the participating courts.

Adding that there will also be a meeting led by the Deputy Chief Justice (DCJ) with Justices, Judges, Registrars, and Court-accredited mediators to ensure the process is synchronized and harmonized.

Additionally, the DCJ will meet with the President of the Uganda Law Society and his executive to involve them in the process.

HW Bareebe also informed the public that after the ADR Week, the ADR Committee will evaluate the process and its effectiveness.

She urged advocates and the media to spread the word and encouraged willing litigants to participate emphasizing that this is a voluntary process and that participation is open to all, including those outside the participating courts.

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Human Rights Watch has called for the release of the nabbed and remanded protesters in Kampala.

On Monday, joint security forces of the police and the army arrested and cracked a whip on the stage protesters against the speaker of parliament, Anita Among. One is accused of corruption.

The protesters’ demands include the resignation of Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, who had in February been named alongside other parliamentarians in a corruption exposé published on social media, and for the salaries of Ugandan parliamentarians, among the highest-paid in the world, to be reduced.

The protest, partially inspired by recent youth-led protests in neighbouring Kenya, saw participation from young Ugandans who had mobilised online.

On July 23, police in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, detained at least 50 people protesting widespread corruption in the government.

According to Oryem Nyeko, Senior Researcher, Africa Division for Human Rights Watch, the police have continued to arrest young people connected to the protests, including three on Wednesday as they were attempting to hold a press conference.

The day before the protest, one of the participants, Praise Aloikin, said, “We know we will be met with resistance from the government. But we hope this will normalise Ugandans to exercise their right to protest.” Aloikin was among those arrested on Tuesday and remanded to prison.

He said the police said they had attempted to “dissuade the organisers” during a meeting on July 18. Aloikin, who attended that meeting, said the officials “just tried to create fear in us” and asked them: “Didn’t you see people die [in Kenya]?” Two days before the scheduled protests, Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni threatened protesters, saying they were “playing with fire.”

Ugandan authorities have regularly cracked down on activists, political opposition members, and human rights defenders daring to voice concerns about issues like oil sector development and police brutality.

This latest crackdown on protesters is a blatant violation of the rights to peaceful assembly and free speech, guaranteed in Uganda’s constitution and international law, and is indicative of the authorities’ intolerance towards dissent.

The Ugandan authorities should drop the charges against these activists and instead listen to the concerns they are raising.

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