Uganda's New Mediation Rules:What Every Litigant Needs to Know

Statutory Instrument No. 14 of 2026  ·  Gazetted 27 March 2026

Uganda's Judiciary has just overhauled how civil disputes are resolved outside the courtroom. The new Judicature (Court-Annexed Mediation) Rules, 2026 replace a 2013 predecessor with a framework that is more structured, more accessible, and — for the first time — completely free to participating parties.

With roughly 167,000 cases pending in Uganda's courts and civil claims alone totaling an estimated UGX 14.2 trillion, the stakes for getting this right are enormous. Here is what changed, and why it matters.

167K Pending cases across all courts

5,246 Cases resolved via mediation, 2025

60 Day maximum per mediation

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Area	2013 rules	2026 rules
Participation	Mandatory for all civil cases before trial	NewVoluntary — requires consent of all parties
Cost	Parties contributed to mediator fees	NewFree — Judiciary pays mediators directly
Mediator selection	Court (Registrar) appointed from vetted list	ChangedParties choose first; judges can now also mediate with consent
Confidentiality	Implied; governed by informal practice	NewFormal signed agreement required; exceptions for criminal matters
Challenging outcomes	No appeal on mediation orders	ChangedCan be set aside on narrow grounds: fraud, mistake, illegality
Oversight	Minimal — Registrar managed cases	NewNational Case Management Committee; monthly reporting

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Uganda's pending caseload has grown from around 114,000 in 2015 to over 167,000 today — roughly 4% per year. The civil docket, where these new rules apply most directly, is the second largest category.

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Any civil dispute can enter mediation at any point before final judgment — as long as all parties agree.

1	Consent. All parties agree in writing to mediate — initiated by the parties or suggested by the court.
2	Mediator selection. Parties jointly choose an accredited mediator. If they cannot agree, the Registrar appoints one from the accredited list.
3	Confidentiality agreement. Every participant signs Form 5 before any session begins. Exceptions exist for child abuse and criminal disclosures.
4	Sessions. Mediation runs for up to 60 days. Lawyers attend in an advisory — not adversarial — role.
5	Outcome. A settlement is filed in triplicate within 7 days and endorsed as a court consent decree. If no settlement, the case returns to the normal trial track.

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Litigants Mediation is now free and entirely optional. A successful settlement carries the force of a court order — and can be challenged later only on narrow grounds such as fraud or collusion.	Lawyers The rules enshrine an advisory role — not adversarial. Firms that build mediation competency now will be well-positioned. Bar associations should begin educating members immediately.
Mediators Demand for accredited mediators is set to grow. The new accreditation pathway processes applications within 30 days — but comes with binding conduct rules and monthly performance reporting.	Courts Courts gain new procedural duties: allocating files, tracking the 60-day clock, and processing settlement orders. If uptake grows, far fewer cases should reach full trial.

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	Low referral rates. If lawyers and judges default to trial, the Rules' impact will remain marginal despite the new framework.
	Budget gaps. The state must fund mediator fees and accreditation infrastructure. Budget lines are not yet confirmed.
	Mediator capacity. Uganda does not yet have enough trained mediators to handle a substantial increase in referrals without bottlenecks.
	Systems readiness. The Judiciary's case management system was built for trials; it must be adapted to track mediation timelines and outcomes.