Judge urges eastern Uganda to embrace lawyer-less court

Judge Susan Okalanyi called upon people to use the SCP system

Suzan Okalanyi, the Area Residence Judge for eastern Uganda, has urged residents of Bulambuli district to embrace the Small Claims Procedure (SCP) as one of the ways of solving cases in a simple way at the local level.

The SCP is a court procedure where one does not require a lawyer and it applies to court cases whose claims don’t exceed more than UGX 10m.

During the official launch of the SCP in Muyembe Sub County, Bulambuli district this week, Okalanyi stressed the need for this court.

“In small claims you receive judgment instantly and it is pocket friendly since you don’t need a lawyer,” Okalanyi said.

She added that she had 3000 cases to attend to so if residents embraced the SCP it would reduce on the time spent.

Okalanyi added that Uganda had only 50 judges, some of them outside the country, less than 500 magistrates, calling upon people to use SCP.

Okalanyi explained that the judiciary is promoting means of handling cases in a manner that is simple and understandable to the local community.

Lilian Bucyana, the acting Assistant Registrar of the SCP,  said that these were necessary to solve cases of UGX 10m and below.

“This court uses quick and affordable procedures, you represent yourself, and receive judgment within a period if two weeks,” Bucyana said.

Bucyana said the SCP was started in 2012 with five districts and it is currently working in 50 districts.

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