The Judiciary has established eight Court of Appeal Circuits across the country in a major reform aimed at taking appellate justice closer to the people, reducing case backlog, shortening appeal timelines and lowering the cost of accessing justice.
According to the Judiciary Public Relations Officer Ereemye James, the move is also intended to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of justice by decongesting the Court of Appeal in Kampala and this development is anchored in Legal Notice No. 21 of 2025 in the Constitution of Uganda (Creation of the Court of Appeal Circuits).
The directive was made in 2025 by the retired Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny Dollo in pursuant to Article 133(1)(b) of the Constitution on 30th October 2025.
Under the new arrangement, the Court of Appeal will sit in Arua, Fort Portal, Gulu, Jinja, Masaka, Mbale, Mbarara, and Mubende, enabling advocates and litigants to access appellate services closer to their regions of operation and residence.
The Judiciary Principal Communications Officer, Sheila Wamboga, said that this reform forms part of the Judiciary’s broader commitment to strengthening access to justice, enhancing public confidence in the justice system, and improving service delivery nationwide.
She said that the operationalisation of the Court of Appeal Circuits will be undertaken in a phased manner, beginning with Gulu and Mbarara, upon completion of the construction of the respective court houses.
Ms Wamboga explained that this is a transitional measure and all appeals and constitutional petitions currently pending before the Court of Appeal in Kampala that fall within the jurisdiction of newly created Circuits, and which have not yet been heard, will be transferred to the respective Circuits upon operationalization.
