The Principal Judge, Jane Frances Abodo, has proposed the introduction of mobile court sessions in the Karamoja sub-region to improve access to justice for communities facing long distances and high transport costs when seeking judicial services.
Abodo said bringing court sessions closer to communities would ease the financial burden on court users, many of whom struggle to afford transport to existing court stations to pursue their cases.
She made the proposal on Tuesday during a High Court Open Day held at Moroto High Court Circuit premises, organised by the Judiciary in partnership with International Justice Mission (IJM) under the theme, “Delivering Inclusive, Efficient and Effective Justice.”
The event, aimed at bringing the Judiciary closer to the public and improving citizens’ understanding of court operations, was dominated by concerns over land grabbing and limited access to judicial services across the region.
Residents from different parts of Karamoja raised concerns that several districts either lack courts or have no State Attorneys, leaving communities with limited options for pursuing justice.
They also pointed to the vast geographical coverage of districts, arguing that concentrating court services in a single town makes them difficult to access for residents living in distant sub-counties.
In Napak District, for instance, the Grade One Magistrate’s Court is located in Kangole Town Council, approximately 80 kilometres from the sub-counties of Iriiri, Poron and Apeitolim.
Residents revealed that hiring a motorcycle to travel to court costs between Shs70,000 and Shs100,000, making access to judicial services financially difficult for many households.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Tebanyang, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Nabilatuk, revealed that the district has no operational court despite having a fully furnished court structure, complete with residential facilities for judicial officers.
Tebanyang said the infrastructure was renovated four years ago, but the Judiciary has yet to operationalise the facility, leaving residents without a functioning local court.
The concerns raised during the Open Day highlighted the challenges facing communities in Karamoja, particularly the cost of accessing courts, inadequate judicial infrastructure and shortages in the delivery of legal services.
Abodo’s proposal for mobile court sessions is intended to bring justice closer to underserved communities and reduce the geographical and financial barriers preventing residents from accessing judicial services.
By Edith Namwanje
11th Nov 2026
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