Museveni Pushes Judiciary to Fast-Track Justice to Support Economic Growth
President Museveni calls for professionalism among lawyers, pledged government support to expand access to justice, and congratulated the new Chief Justice, Justice Flavian Zeija, while praising outgoing Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo for his service.
As Uganda’s Judiciary ushered in the New Law Year 2026, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni challenged judges to speed up the resolution of disputes, warning that slow justice undermines investment, frustrates citizens, and stalls the country’s economic transformation.
Speaking through Vice President Maj. (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, who represented him at the ceremony, President Museveni said delays in handling court cases frustrate citizens and investors and slow down national development. He challenged judicial officers to adopt innovative, creative, and strategic approaches to dispute resolution.
“The Judiciary plays a critical role in the socio-economic transformation of our communities. We need a supportive Judiciary that can quickly resolve disputes and free key factors of production such as land, capital, and infrastructure for productive use,” Museveni said.
The President linked efficient justice delivery to the government’s development priorities under the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV), which focuses on a ten-fold growth strategy driven by agro-industrialization, tourism, science and technology, innovation, and natural resource-based industrialization, including oil and gas. He noted that many of these sectors are prone to disputes, especially over land, investment, and infrastructure.
Museveni also emphasized that timely justice is vital for the success of the Parish Development Model, warning that unresolved disputes can render land and other productive resources idle, undermining efforts to eradicate poverty and raise household incomes.
To address case backlogs, the President urged courts to embrace alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation and reconciliation, as faster and less adversarial ways of settling conflicts. He said such approaches promote harmony, peace building, and co-existence among communities.
The Head of State further called on lawyers and advocates to uphold professionalism, ethical conduct, and commitment, noting that their role is central to ensuring that justice is delivered quickly and fairly.
Museveni welcomed what he described as positive developments within the Judiciary, pledging government support to operationalize new courts to improve access to affordable and accessible justice across the country.
He also used the occasion to congratulate Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija on his appointment as Chief Justice, expressing confidence in his ability to continue reforms within the Judiciary and maintain a harmonious working relationship with the Executive. At the same time, Museveni praised the outgoing Chief Justice, Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo, for his transformative leadership and dedicated service.
The President concluded by thanking Ugandans for giving him and the NRM government another five-year mandate, saying the renewed term provides an opportunity to deepen reforms across all sectors, including the administration of justice.
