Uganda: Arua Court Gets New Magistrate Amid Push for Professionalism and Faster Justice

The leadership of the Arua Chief Magistrate's Court has called for stronger professionalism, teamwork, and greater use of alternative dispute resolution as the court welcomed a new magistrate transferred to the West Nile station.

William Muwonge, a Magistrate Grade One, has been transferred from the Mukono Chief Magistrate's Court to Arua, in changes aimed at strengthening judicial service delivery in the region.

During a meeting with judicial officers and justice sector stakeholders, Arua Chief Magistrate Conrad Obol Oroya said effective justice delivery depends on cooperation among all institutions in the justice system, not just the courts alone.

He emphasized the need for teamwork within the court and coordination with institutions under the Justice, Law and Order Sector, including the police, prisons, and the bar, to improve efficiency and public confidence in the justice system.

Oroya also urged the incoming magistrate to strictly observe the judicial code of conduct and promote professionalism, integrity, and proper customer care in court operations. He encouraged the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution and plea bargaining to reduce case backlog and ensure faster resolution of cases.

Muwonge said he was committed to working with judicial officers and justice sector institutions to improve access to justice in the region.

Lawyers representing the bar also pledged cooperation with the bench, noting that while the legal system is adversarial, disagreements between lawyers and judicial officers should be handled through professional channels to maintain the dignity of the legal profession and the justice system.

Officials from the Uganda Prisons Service and other justice sector institutions welcomed the new magistrate and expressed hope for continued cooperation in handling cases and managing inmates on remand.

The transfer of judicial officers is part of routine judiciary deployments aimed at improving service delivery and addressing workload across courts in different regions.

Read the original article on Nile Post.