The death of witnesses, illness and repeated adjournments are among the factors contributing to the backlog of land cases in Uganda, the Deputy Registrar of the Land Division has said.
His Worship Ronald Kayizzi said land cases accumulate in court for several reasons, including litigants filing multiple applications in a single matter, forcing judicial officers to adjourn cases and schedule them for later dates.
Appearing on Salam TV’s Judiciary Show hosted by Mariam Busingye, Kayizzi said the availability of witnesses was another major challenge affecting the timely disposal of cases.
He said some witnesses are elderly or sick, while others die before their cases are concluded, further complicating proceedings.
“Some witnesses are sick or elderly, and at times cases are delayed as court waits for witnesses who eventually die,” Kayizzi said.
He urged litigants to take their cases seriously and cooperate with their lawyers to minimise unnecessary delays.
Kayizzi also called on lawyers and judicial officers to manage their diaries properly and avoid fixing too many cases for hearing on the same day.
He further urged all parties expected to appear in court to make every effort to attend scheduled hearings, saying cooperation among litigants, lawyers and court officials is essential to reducing delays.
The comments come amid longstanding concerns over delays in the disposal of land disputes, which can leave parties waiting for years before their cases are concluded.
Kayizzi said better preparation by litigants and lawyers, proper scheduling by judicial officers and timely attendance by all parties could help courts reduce the backlog and improve access to justice.
source: nilepost.co.ug
