Magistrates’ courts set for expanded powers under new law

KAMPALA, March 31, 2026 — Magistrates’ courts in Uganda are poised for a major boost in authority and efficiency following the passage of the Magistrates Courts [Amendment] Bill, 2026, a reform expected to ease case backlog in the High Court and improve access to justice.

Once assented to by President Yoweri Museveni, will strengthen the capacity of lower courts, reduce congestion in the High Court and enhance access to justice.

Passed by Parliament on Thursday, the Bill amends the Magistrates Courts Act to increase the financial jurisdiction of magistrates, enhance their sentencing powers and streamline court procedures.

The legislation raises the pecuniary jurisdiction of magistrates’ courts, empowers them to impose higher fines, abolishes the position of Magistrate Grade II, and introduces transitional provisions.

A key reform is the upward revision of the monetary limits that magistrates can handle in civil cases. Under the new law, the civil jurisdiction of a Chief Magistrate will increase from Shs 50 million to Shs 100 million, while that of a Magistrate will rise from Shs 20 million to Shs 50 million.

However, the law also proposes a broader expansion of powers, increasing the civil jurisdiction of Chief Magistrates to Shs 200 million, a move aimed at positioning them to handle more complex commercial, land, family and civil disputes that would otherwise escalate to the High Court.

The Chairperson of the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Stephen Baka Mugabi, said the reforms address outdated limits last revised in 2007, which have since been overtaken by inflation and economic changes.

He noted that low thresholds had led to cases being unnecessarily filed in the High Court, contributing to case backlog.

“The capping of the value of the subject matter is very low for the magistrates’ courts… cases that should be handled at the magisterial level end up in the High Court, thereby causing backlog,” he said.

The Bill also abolishes the position of Magistrate Grade II, aligning the law with the Judiciary’s current structure. The role had already been removed administratively but remained in the statute, creating inconsistencies.

“The position of Magistrate Grade II was removed from the approved structure of the Judiciary, but its continued presence in the law created inconsistencies. The amendment therefore repeals all provisions relating to the position, leaving Chief Magistrates and Magistrates Grade I as the recognised judicial officers at that level,” the committee report reads in part.

In a move expected to improve efficiency, the law empowers Chief Magistrates to transfer cases filed in courts without jurisdiction, instead of dismissing them outright.

Currently, courts lacking jurisdiction must dismiss such cases, forcing litigants to refile and incur additional costs. The reform will allow judicial officers to refer such matters for transfer to the High Court, reducing delays and financial burdens on court users.

“These changes will not only decongest the High Court but also bring justice services closer to the people by empowering magistrates’ courts to handle more cases effectively,” Baka Mugabi added.

The Attorney General, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, said the provisions in the Bill are informed by empirical data from the Judiciary.

“I am aware there is a proposal to increase the threshold for Chief Magistrates to Shs 300 million, but since the committee report is based on empirical evidence from the Judiciary, let it be adopted,” Kiwanuka said.

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