KAMPALA, Uganda| The Chief Justice, Hon. Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo Chigamoy, has launched the Patongo High Court circuit as a means of easing access to justice in the rural areas of Pader, Abim, Otuke, and Agago Districts.

The event held on Monday, under the theme ”Enhancing Judicial Accountability and Access to Justice”, was attended by representatives from the general public, Uganda Prisons and the Uganda police force, who were present to applaud the commissioning of the High Court circuit.

During his ceremonial remarks, Chief Justice Dollo expressed gratitude for the milestone but reminded the public that the structure alone does not constitute justice.

” This is not the court; this is the court building. The judicial officers serving you are the ones who will make this court meaningful; I have faith and confidence in them that they will bring value to the infrastructure that has been set up.” CJ Dollo remarked

He further added that when I became Chief Justice, who is truly rural, who is a villager, we walked on foot to the school, and on our way back, we would be hunting fruit – real village life. So my purpose was that these villagers who have nothing should be able to appear before a judicial officer,

” For example, someone could sell his or her animals to travel to Gulu, and they find that the judge is not there. Then the case is fixed for next week. Again, the judge is either not there or the case is fixed for next week; the judge is either sick or something, and you are told to return the following week. When you return the following, your case file is among the last ones, and by the time your file is called, the judge says he is tired and can’t handle your case.”

Because of the long distance to court, this person ends up selling everything they own, and yet the matter is not determined; the case is won on two things: when the law is on your side or you produce good witnesses.

The Acting Registrar of Patongo, Ms Betty Ajok, who is also the Chief Magistrate, said that over the years, litigants used to walk over 150 miles in search of justice in Gulu and Kitgum, but now with a high court circuit, justice and judicial accountability have been made possible.

Mr James Kidega, the Resident District Commissioner of Agago District, noted that there is a need to build a prison, but the ones available were built a long time ago in the 1930s and are now dilapidated and very small.

In attendance was Court of Appeal Lady Justice Florence Nakachwa Dollo, Judges Justice George Okello (the Resident Judge Patongo), Lady Justice Olive Kabaazarwe (President of the Judicial Officers Association), Justice Philip Odoki (the Head of Gulu High Court), Justice Philip Mwaka Willebrod (Resident Judge Kitgum) and Lady Justice Sarah Birungi Kalibbala (the Resident Judge of Lira High Court).

The Patongo High Court circuit is among the five newly operational High Court Circuits by the judiciary in Entebbe, Kumi, Lugazi, Patongo, and Wakiso, bringing the number of High Court Circuits across the country to 29.

This development marks a major milestone in the implementation of the Judiciary’s Transformational Agenda, which aims to take judicial services closer to the people and ensure timely and efficient access to justice for all Ugandans.