Challenges Faced By Ti-Ie Litigants In Accessing Justice In The Chief Magistrate's Courts A Case Study Of Naka Wa Chief Magistrate's Court

ABSTRACT The study was conducted to investigate the challenges faced by the litigants in

accessing justice in the Chief Magistrates' Courts.

The paper is comprised of five chapters; chapter one analyses the background

of the study, statement of the problem, justice in the Chief Magistrate's Court,

Chapter two analyses the review of related literature of the topic under study,

Chapter three analyses the methodology used in the study, Chapter four

analyses the findings of the study and finally Chapter five analyses conclusions

and recommendation.

The study found out that the litigants had challenges they were facing in

accessing justice in the Chief Magistrates' courts and they were not

coh1fortable with them. These among others include; High case backlog, high

illiteracy rates, corruption etc.

Various methods of data collection were used. These included; interviews,

observations and documentary reviews.

In conclusion therefore, basing on the finding of the study I strongly submit

that much as the litigants have access to justice nonetheless they still face some

challenges which calls for attention.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pages

Declaration .................................................................................... .

Approval . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. ii

Dedication . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 111

Acknowledgment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . ... . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1v

Abstract......................................................................................... v

Table of contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi

CHAPTER ONE: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . .. .. . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 1

1.0 Introduction .............................................................................. .

1.1. 1 Background of the study .............................................................. .

1.1.2 Statement of the problems............................................................. 8

1.1.3 Objective of the study.... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . ... . . . . . 9

1.1.4 Significance of the study............................................................. 10

1.1.5 Hypothesis............................................................................... 11

1.1.6 Scope of the study..................................................................... 11

1.1.6.1 Geographical scope................................................................ I I

I. I .6.2 Content scope . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . I 2

I I .6.3 Time scope .. . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . I 2

I .1.6.4 Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... I 2

CHAPTER TWO ... . ..... ........................ ... ...... ... ......... ...... ... .... ..... .... 14

2.0 Introduction . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I 4

2. I. The joint survey on local council cou1is and legal services in Uganda, 2006 I 7

2.2 The I 995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda I 995 as amended............ 20

2.3 Conclusion................................................................................. 21

CHAPTER THREE.......................................................................... 22

3.0 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. 22

3. I Research design........................................................................... 22

Vil

3.3 Study population . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

3.4Data collection methods................................................................. 24

3.4. l Interviews............................................................................... 24

3.4.2 Observation............................................................................ 26

3.4 .3 Meetings/ focus group discussion.................................................. 27

3.4.4Story telling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

3.5 Procedure of data collection.......................................................... 28

3.6 Data analysis . . . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 29

3.7 Data processing.......................................................................... 29

3.8 Data analysis techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ................................... ... 29

CHAPTER FOUR: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3 l

4.0 Introduction . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... ... . . . . . . . . 31

4.1 Back ground information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . ................ 31

4.2 Whether the litigants face challenges in accessing justice in the chief

magistrate's courts...................................................................... 32

4.3 Causes of the challenges faced by the litigants in the chief magistrates

courts....................................................................................... 38

4.4 Whether and how the above challenges have been addressed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

4.5 The family and children court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . ... 50 ·

4.6 How the challenges can be addressed to improve litigant's accessibility to

justice ... . . . .. . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . ...... .. 53

CHAPTER FIVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

5.0 Conclusion & recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . ... 55

5. l. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 55

5. l. l. Recommendations . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . 55

5.1.2 Areas for further research.............................................................. 58

Bibliography . . . .. . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .. . . .. 59

Appendix I............................................................................ 62

Appendix II............................................................................ 65

Appendix Ill............................................................................