ARUA–The sensitization of locals on access to justice has continued in Northern Uganda. The Alternative Dispute resolution Sensitisation (ADS) started today in Arua.
Judicial officers began the day by sensitising the locals at a function hosted at Arua High Court.
Justice David Wangutusi also carried out mediation training at the Desert Breeze Hotel in Arua District.
The judicial officers are in Arua for four days and will tomorrow launch a mediation centre in the district.
For the previous week, the officers camped in the districts of Lira, Kole, Alebtong and Dokolo holding a series of community outreach programmes on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms available in courts.
The four-day sensitization drive started at Lira Chief Magistrates Court where court users were enlightened on the access to justice initiative.
Presiding Magistrate HW Susan Adelo said the court had already embraced ADR and that it was helping to reconcile warring parties.
From the courthouse, the team has moved to busy trading centres including Amachi, Jinja Camp, Agwentagwet, Owur Bar, Boroboro, Abutadee, Amuca, Aboke, Apala,Oromo, Agweng, Bal Pe Centre, Owur Bar, Abutadee, Aloi, Odokomit, Amucha, Ogur,Aler among others.
Most locals called for similar sensitization campaigns for their elders.
The exercise kicked off shortly after Chief Justice Bart M. Katureebe’s recent visit to the US where he had a two-day meeting in San Francisco, California related to prospects for the development of trial and appellate mediation.
The meetings were called on the invitation of Judge Clifford Wallace of the United States Court of Appeal’s 9th Circuit, which serves nine States at the western coast that boasts of the most developed appellate mediation system in the US and the World.
The discussions and lessons drawn are expected to influence and shape the Uganda Judiciary policy direction in the field of mediation generally and appellate mediation in particular.
