Lawyers across Greater Masaka region walked off their jobs after growing fed up with court delays. The legal workers started their protest on June 16 because judges cannot handle the massive case loads. Court officials force one single judge to manage over 4,000 pending cases across nine different areas. The strike affects Masaka city and eight surrounding districts where people desperately need legal help. Defense attorneys refuse to return until more judges arrive to clear the backlog.
The Masaka High Court circuit struggles with severe staffing problems that hurt ordinary citizens. More than 4,290 cases sit waiting for hearings as of April 2025. Criminal matters make up 1,506 of these delayed cases and land disputes account for 1,188 more. Family problems and civil lawsuits add hundreds more to the growing pile. Court workers admit they cannot keep up despite working hard every day.
Uganda faces similar judge shortages across the entire country according to official reports. Prisoners wait years behind bars without trials at Maluku prison and other facilities. Some inmates have spent over a decade waiting for their day in court. Legal experts blame poor planning when new courts opened without enough staff. The justice system promises fair trials but delivers endless delays instead.
The Masaka High Court circuit struggles with severe staffing problems that hurt ordinary citizens. More than 4,290 cases sit waiting for hearings as of April 2025. Criminal matters make up 1,506 of these delayed cases and land disputes account for 1,188 more. Family problems and civil lawsuits add hundreds more to the growing pile. Court workers admit they cannot keep up despite working hard every day.
Uganda faces similar judge shortages across the entire country according to official reports. Prisoners wait years behind bars without trials at Maluku prison and other facilities. Some inmates have spent over a decade waiting for their day in court. Legal experts blame poor planning when new courts opened without enough staff. The justice system promises fair trials but delivers endless delays instead.
