The Judiciary has tasked authorities in Mbale City to avail land for the establishment of the regional court of appeal premises.

The Judiciary is planning to construct 8 regional courts of appeal across the country in the newly created cities of Arua, Gulu, Mbale, Jinja, Masaka, and Fort Portal, beginning with Mbarara city.

There are however concerns over the availability of land in the eastern region. This move is aimed at decongesting the court in Kampala but also extending justice closer to the people.

Speaking during an open court day at the Mbale High Court Circuit in Mbale City, the Principle Judge Flavian Zeiji said that the judiciary is ready to establish a regional court of appeal for the Eastern part of the country but they are still looking for land on which to establish the court premises.

This move is however deterred by land shortage in the region. Authorities in Mbale City have now been tasked to ensure they avail the land for the establishment of the court.

Both Tororo and Soroti districts are reported to have expressed interest to host the court premises although nothing has materialized yet.

The established court is meant to help litigants from moving long distances to Kampala which makes the judicial process expensive.

Mbale High Court Circuit Senior Resident Judge is optimistic the necessary land will be made available
 he however decries injustices like land grabbing among government officials.

Namundi who was bitter cited land like Uhuru Park which was a public space that has since been grabbed by property developers which he said would be suitable for the establishment of the court of appeal to serve the people. 

During the Open court, the litigants in Mbale appealed to the judicial officials to expeditiously work on their cases which they have stalled in the courts of law for many years.

They also appealed to the Principle judge to prevail on the magistrates and other judicial officials who have made it a habit to demand bribes before dispensing justice as well as the increasing cases of missing files, trials taking too long, and delayed judgments among others.

The Registrar Magistrates Affairs, Eremye Jumere Mawanda, in response however said that corruption or bribery starts with the litigants themselves who offer the bribes to the judicial officers. He said that the judiciary is not a shop where magistrates are waiting to sell justice to anyone noting that the judicial officers can survive on the salary given to them by the government. 

The case backlog is one of the challenges faced by the judiciary. This is said to be denying justice as many have to wait for longer than expected for their cases to be heard.