The hearing of 25 criminal cases has kicked off at Kabale High Court circuit, aiming to address the pressing issue of a burgeoning criminal case backlog.

Led by Lady Justices Irene Mulyagonja and Eva K. Luswata and Justice Christopher Gashirabake, the panel is set to deliberate on a total of 25 cases, with murder cases dominating the docket at 15.

Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera officially inaugurated the session emphasing the need on how the issue of cases backlog can be handled adding that its high time to adopt dispute mechanisms that is use of mediation.

"As we talk about cases, we shall deploy more judges, we shall deploy magistrates and spread them all over the country but we shall not succeed in finishing all these cases in time unless we rethink how we handle the cases," he said.

"Our view is that we better change the method of handling cases and go to alternatives of dispute resolution mechanisms. This is we use mediation."

Mr Buteera said the Judiciary is committed to ensuring that there is a magistrate starting from county level.

"Our purpose is to serve the people of Uganda closest from where they are currently, we have only 15 judges," he said.

"We went to parliament, they allowed that we expand 15 judges to 35 judges. In this year's budget, we have a budget to facilitate over 20 judges. In that funding we can expand only two branches of court of appeal that is in Mbarara and Gulu cities."

Prominent lawyer Justus Muhangi of Muhangi and Company Advocates said there is a challenge of continuous lack of access to court of appeal by residents.

He said they are looking forward for the new circuit to opened up in Mbarara that is to have cases in high court be heard.

"We are looking forward to the new circuit being opened in Mbarara so that may be our cases from high court can also be heard in court of appeal," Muhangi said.

This is the second court of appeal session to be held in Kabale, which will mark a milestone in the quest for swift justice.