Church and Institutional Land Disputes Feature in Court of Appeal Session in Mbale

What the report says

The Court of Appeal in Mbale is concluding a two-day civil appeals session that has placed land disputes at the center of its docket. According to Nile Post, 31 civil appeals are listed, with a significant share involving church property, schools, local governments and private landowners. The cases include matters linked to the Church of Uganda’s Bukedi, Mbale and Tororo dioceses, Tororo Girls School and Tororo District Local Government Council.

The session is being handled by a panel led by Justice Christopher Gashirabake, with Justices Margret Tibulya and Cornelia K. Sabiiti. The cause list also includes disputes over trespass, damages, estates, contracts and employment, but the article notes that the listing alone does not show the merits of any side or prove wrongdoing. It does not give the value of the claims or details of the properties involved.

Nile Post says the Mbale sitting is intended to bring appellate services closer to litigants in eastern Uganda, reducing the need to travel to Kampala. The development comes as the Judiciary continues to face a national backlog of 14,127 pending cases. Deputy Chief Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi has called for better coordination, staffing and funding across justice-sector institutions to help reduce delays, with access to justice remaining a key concern.