By Kabuye Ronald
The Judiciary of Uganda has appreciated the role played by Judicial officers in Magistrates Court towards the successful implementation of Small Claims Procedure (SCP) innovation. This innovation involves handling any financial claim with value below 10 million shillings without involving an advocate.
At the award ceremony held at Judiciary headquarters in Kampala on Thursday, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo congratulated the winners under various categories for rising the Judiciary flag higher, as she called upon those that didn’t make it to the top list, to work harder so that they can also register similar achievements in the coming years.
“I thank Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire, for his exceptional leadership on the Small Claims Procedure implementation committee which has produced this report. Without proper leadership this innovation wouldn’t have registered the success it has registered.”
She promised that with the support of all Judicial officers and non support staff, she is ready to lead the Judiciary to become one of the best performing institutions within the country.
“For most Ugandans don’t experience Justice through constitutional provisions or the buildings where judges seat,
they may not care so much about where you deliver justice from, whether from a court room or under the tree, it’s experienced through the fairness and dignity they encounter when they enter into the first court (Small Claims Procedure).”
Justice Geoffrey Kiryabwire the team leader for SCP congratulated Justice Abodo upon her appointment as the Principal Judge, he reported that as they prepare to celebrate 10 years of existence for small claims Procedure, it has registered success than any other innovation in the Judiciary.
He added that in the first year of implementation of Small Claims Procedure in 2011, they money recovered through this initiative was 1.5 billion shillings, but in this financial year, the amount has increased almost ten times to 14.9 billion shillings
Deputy Registrar for Small Claims, Mastula Mulondo reported that SCP started within six pilot courts, but currently it has expanded into national system operating within 223 courts country wide.
The overall Small Claim Champion in Judiciary is Grade one Magistrate, His Worship Sengendo Saad and Hakibaale Chief Magistrates Court was named the best Court in SCP for the year 2025.
The Best SCP Court in Eastern Cluster 2 was Tororo Chief Magistrates Court, Western Region, Masindi Chief Magistrates Court was the best, South Western Region was Rukungiri Chief Magistrate Court, Best improving court under SCP is Buikwe, Northern Region was Padel Grade one Magistrate Court, West Nile, Arua Chief Magistrates Court took the award.
The outstanding staff for the year 2025 was Mr. Robert Katwesigye.
