Judiciary establishes eight Court of Appeal Circuits

Kampala– 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.

Justices of Appeal in black Gowns. (Courtesy photo)
The new circuits include; Arua, Fort Portal, Gulu, Jinja, Masaka, Mbale, Mbarara and Mubende
According to the statement issued by the Judiciary Public relations team, this decision is intended to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of justice by de-congest the Court of Appeal in Kampala.
“This development is anchored in Legal Notice No. 21 of 2025 – The Constitution (Creation of the Cort of Appeal Circuits) (Practice) Directions,2025, issued by Chief Justice Emeritus, Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny -Dollo, pursuant to Article 133(1)(b) of the Constitution, on 30th October 2025.”
That, 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.
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.
*The operationalization 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 courthouses.”
As a transitional measure, 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.