Niël Terblanché
Namibia and Uganda have strengthened judicial cooperation with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between their judiciaries.
The agreement was signed on Tuesday during the official visit of Uganda’s Chief Justice, Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo, to Namibia.
At the Supreme Court in Windhoek, Namibia’s Chief Justice, Peter Shivute, called the MoU a milestone reflecting a shared vision.
“This is a vision of judiciaries that learn from one another, that innovate together, and that strive continuously to improve the quality of justice for the people we serve,” he said.
The visit followed a series of exchanges between the two judiciaries.
In January, Justice Owiny-Dollo visited Namibia to observe its biomass and charcoal sector and toured the Supreme Court.
His current visit was at the invitation of Chief Justice Shivute to explore further collaboration.
Over recent months, engagement between Namibia and Uganda has increased.
In May, Namibia’s Deputy Chief Justice and Judge President of the High Court, Petrus Damaseb, led a delegation to Uganda to study its Electronic Court Case Management Information System.
Just over a week ago, Justice Shivute led a Namibian delegation to Uganda for the inaugural African Continent Commercial Courts Summit.
The event, attended by 19 African judiciaries and international experts, focused on commercial courts and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to boost investor confidence and economic growth.
Shivute said Namibia is also advancing its judicial reforms.
The Judiciary will host its first national conference on Alternative Dispute Resolution, themed “Enhancing Access to Justice Through Plea Bargaining: Lessons, Prospects and Practical Solutions”, starting today.
“Plea bargaining, in particular, offers an alternative route to resolving criminal cases without the need for a full trial. When implemented with the appropriate safeguards, it has the potential to reduce court backlogs, enhance efficiency, and ensure justice is served while protecting the rights of all parties involved,” Shivute said.
Owiny-Dollo will deliver the keynote address, sharing Uganda’s experience with plea bargaining, a model gaining traction across Africa.
The MoU highlights cooperation in exchanging information on ICT systems, sharing best practices in ADR and plea bargaining, and strengthening institutional capacity.
Shivute thanked those who facilitated the visit by his Ugandan counterpart.
“May this visit, and the MoU we signed, mark the beginning of a deeper and more impactful collaboration between the Judiciaries of Namibia and Uganda,” he said.
