Chief Justice Zeija Meets Finance Minister Over Shs 442Bn Judiciary Budget

Kampala- The leadership of the Judiciary, headed by the Chief Justice, Flavian Zeija, on Tuesday held a high-level meeting with the Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Henry Musasizi, to discuss funding requirements for the Financial Year 2026/2027.

The meeting, held at the Court of Appeal building in Kampala, focused on reviewing the Judiciary’s budget needs, addressing prevailing constraints, and identifying priority areas to ensure smooth operations and fulfillment of its constitutional mandate.

In his remarks, Chief Justice Zeija welcomed the Minister and his delegation, noting that it was their first formal engagement since he assumed office. He expressed appreciation for the government’s continued financial support, highlighting that the Judiciary’s budget had grown from Shs 199 billion in FY 2020/2021 to Shs 442 billion in FY 2025/2026.

The Chief Justice reiterated the reform commitments he made at his swearing-in before President Yoweri Museveni, emphasizing his vision to transform the Judiciary into a more accessible, efficient, accountable, and technology-driven institution.

In the short to medium term, Zeija outlined plans to operationalise all High Court circuits, decentralise the Court of Appeal, strengthen case management systems, and roll out Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in line with the national ADR policy. He also emphasized advancing digital transformation through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS), introducing AI-assisted transcription, expanding virtual hearings, establishing a delivery unit and real-time situational room, prioritising election petitions and high-value cases, enhancing judicial welfare, and enforcing zero tolerance to corruption.

Looking ahead, the Chief Justice revealed plans for a fully paperless Judiciary, establishment of permanent regional appellate infrastructure, creation of an African ADR Centre, expansion of judicial staffing, procedural modernisation, and adoption of data-driven performance management systems.

“All these interventions are aimed at ensuring excellent court services built on certainty of hearing dates, efficiency, and a culture of service among all Judiciary staff,” he stated.

Zeija underscored the Judiciary’s role as a catalyst for economic growth rather than a consuming institution. He noted that prolonged land and commercial disputes discourage investment, while timely resolution enhances investor confidence and supports economic expansion.

On institutional growth, he reported that over the past two financial years, eight Court of Appeal Justices, 21 High Court Judges, and 82 lower bench judicial officers had been appointed. High Court circuits increased from 24 to 29, with plans underway to decentralise the Court of Appeal to eight regions.

However, he pointed out that these expansions have not been matched with corresponding operational funding, even as case registrations rose by 41.58 percent—from 317,929 in FY 2020/2021 to 450,134 in FY 2024/2025.

The Chief Justice further revealed that the approved budget of Shs 442 billion for FY 2025/2026 represents approximately 0.61 percent of the national budget and about 43 percent of Parliament’s allocation, a situation he said limits effective execution of the Judiciary’s constitutional mandate. He referenced earlier presidential guidance encouraging progressive alignment of the Judiciary’s budget with that of Parliament.

Citing findings from the National Court Case Census 2025, Zeija disclosed significant pending caseloads, including 5,790 commercial cases involving Shs 5.981 trillion; 44,911 civil cases worth Shs 5.451 trillion; 33,496 land cases valued at Shs 1.718 trillion; and 12,624 family cases amounting to Shs 1.47 trillion. He warned that persistent delays in resolving such matters directly affect investment, productivity, and overall economic performance.

The meeting forms part of ongoing engagements aimed at strengthening institutional capacity and ensuring the Judiciary is adequately funded to deliver timely and effective justice to Ugandans.

Keywords: Judiciary, Flavian Zeija, Henry Musasizi, Kampala, FY 2026/2027, Judiciary budget, court reforms, case backlog, ECCMIS, ADR, digital courts, Court of Appeal decentralization, economic growth, pending cases, judicial funding