E-justice

Uganda’s JLOS institutions are at various stages of digital growth. While some have made progress in automation and service quality, significant improvements are still needed to reduce manual processes and integrate data silos. Creating a coordinated, well-funded, innovation-driven, and inclusive e-justice strategy is crucial to enhancing service delivery, increasing transparency, and improving access to justice.

Vision

A digitally integrated justice system that is transparent, accessible, efficient, and responsive to the needs of all citizens.

Mission

To harness digital technologies and e-justice systems to enhance service delivery, inter-agency collaboration, accountability, and public trust in Uganda’s JLOS institutions.

Strategic Objectives

#	Objective
1	Establish an integrated national e-justice system across JLOS institutions.
2	Digitise case management and judicial processes
3	Enhance inter-agency data exchange and interoperability.
4	Expand access to justice through citizen-facing digital services.
5	Strengthen cybersecurity, data protection, and digital governance.
6	Build institutional and human resource capacities for delivering digital justice.
7	Promote legal and policy reforms to enable digital transformation.

Key Pillars of the JLOS Digital Transformation Agenda

Legal and Regulatory Reform
- Review laws to enable the handling and admissibility of digital evidence, digital signatures, e-filing, and virtual hearings.
- Enact/Review data protection and cybercrime legislation.
Digital Infrastructure and Systems
- Develop integrated platforms, including e-filing, e-prosecution, e-policing, digital court records, and legal aid systems.
- Establish secure national justice data centres and disaster recovery sites.
Interoperability and Data Exchange
- Adopt open standards and APIs for secure data sharing across JLOS (Police, Judiciary, Prisons, DPP, Legal Aid, etc.).
- Integrate with the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), immigration, and civil registry.
Human Capital and Change Management
- Train justice sector staff in digital skills and change management.
- Establish digital champions in each institution.
Citizen-Centric Digital Services
- Develop portals and mobile applications for case tracking, accessing legal aid, obtaining police clearance, and licensing, among other services.
- Use AI chatbots and SMS systems for public engagement and legal education.
Sustainability and Financing
- Introduce non-tax revenue (NTR) models (e.g., online service fees).
- Leverage public-private partnerships (PPPs), donor support, and government budgets to maximise resources.
- Leverage innovation for low cost, affordable and inclusive digital e-justice solutions

Digitalisation Roadmap

Phase 1: Foundation

Establish JLOS digital governance structures.
Conduct ICT and business process audits in all institutions.
Finalise e-Justice Legal and Policy Framework.
Design national e-Justice architecture and interoperability framework.
Begin automation in selected pilot courts, police stations, prisons + other JLOS service points across the country.

Phase 2: Systems Development and Rollout

Deploy digital case management systems.
Launch digital legal aid and complaints management platforms.
Integrate JLOS systems with NIRA, URA, Immigration, and other critical government information systems.
Develop mobile applications and citizen portals for the justice sector.

Phase 3: Institutional Integration and Capacity Building

Expand systems to regional and district institutions.
Establish continuous training programs for JLOS staff.
Implement digital evidence and forensics systems.
Enhance data analytics, monitoring, and evaluation (M&E) dashboards for informed policy and decision-making.

Phase 4: Consolidation and Public Engagement

National rollout of integrated e-Justice services.
Run public awareness campaigns on digital justice services.
Institutionalise feedback and grievance redress mechanisms.
Undertake regular reviews and updates to the digitalisation strategy.