Mbarara, Uganda – The Judiciary of Uganda has officially rolled out the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) across Cluster Eight courts under the Mbarara High Court Circuit today. This marks a significant milestone in the country’s ongoing digital transformation of the justice system.
The launch was coordinated at the Mbarara Chief Magistrates Court. It brings the system to key courts serving the Ankole sub region, including Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kiruhura, Isingiro, Ibanda, and Mbarara Municipal Court.
According to His Worship Henry Twinomuhwezi, Assistant Registrar at Mbarara High Court, ECCMIS is designed to replace outdated manual filing systems with a modern, efficient digital platform. It aims to streamline case handling, boost transparency, and significantly reduce opportunities for corruption in court processes.
ECCMIS is a comprehensive, fully featured electronic system that automates and tracks every stage of a case’s lifecycle. This includes everything from initial filing and e payments to hearings, judgments, execution, and archiving.
Key features include e filing, which allows litigants and lawyers to submit documents electronically via a public portal with access to case information across all jurisdictions. The system also offers e processing for paperless case management with automatic allocation, tracking, and notifications. Online payments for court fees, fines, bail, and deposits are integrated. There is also real time access to instant case status updates, performance monitoring, and secure record keeping.
The system was first launched nationally in 2022 under Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny Dollo. It has already demonstrated impressive results in earlier clusters, including a 34 percent increase in case registrations and greater uptake of electronic payments.
Twinomuhwezi emphasized that the platform will minimize physical visits to court registries. It will ease burdens on litigants traveling long distances. It will also reduce direct interactions that have sometimes led to complaints of missing files or delays.
Judicial officers and staff in the region underwent targeted training in recent months to ensure a smooth transition. This rollout aligns with the Judiciary’s wider push for efficiency, accountability, and access to justice.
Principal Judge Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo has highlighted ECCMIS as a practical tool that saves time and costs. She noted it enhances transparency through automated alerts and secure data management.
While many welcome the innovation, some residents have raised concerns. Joshua Mugisha, a local businessman in Mbarara City, welcomed the efficiency the system promises. However, he worried that the transition might leave behind those who are not comfortable with technology.
He argued that the court should maintain a hybrid model where paper filing remains an option for at least the next year. This, he said, would avoid disenfranchising older citizens and those from remote villages.
In contrast, Moreen Kyarisima, a 62 year old resident from Mbarara City, expressed a different worry. She said her greatest fear is not the technology itself but the potential for exclusion among less educated users who may not know how to navigate an online portal.
Legal practitioner Patrick Kajumba called for robust public sensitization to maximize the system’s benefits. The Judiciary has provided support channels to assist users during the transition. These include a toll free ECCMIS call center at 0800 225 587 or 0800 111 900 and email at eccmis@judiciary.go.ug.
The go live of ECCMIS in Cluster Eight represents another step toward a more responsive, transparent, and citizen centered judiciary. As Uganda’s courts continue their digital journey, the Mbarara High Court Circuit’s adoption is expected to set a strong example for other regions, ultimately bringing justice closer to the people it serves.
