The rollout of the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) to the Mbarara High Court circuit is expected to transform how litigants and lawyers access judicial services in the Ankole Sub-region by shifting court operations from manual files to a fully digital system.
ECCMIS, which is part of the Judiciary’s broader digital transformation, is designed to allow lawyers, litigants, and judicial officers to file cases electronically, pay court fees, and track the progress of cases without necessarily visiting court premises. The system was officially rolled out at the Mbarara Chief Magistrates Court on Monday, which serves as the coordination point for the Mbarara High Court circuit under Cluster 8.
The circuit covers six chief magistrates courts, including Mbarara, Ntungamo, Kiruhura, Isingiro, Ibanda, and the Mbarara Municipal Court.According to Henry Twinomuhwezi, the Mbarara High Court Assistant Registrar, the platform is intended to replace manual filing systems and improve efficiency in case handling while also reducing corruption risks within court processes.
Twinomuhwezi explained that the system reduces the need for physical presence in courts, enabling users to file cases and make payments electronically from any location, which he said will particularly ease access for litigants who travel long distances.
He added that the system will also minimize direct interaction between court users and clerical staff, an area that has previously been associated with complaints of missing files and corruption. However, residents have expressed mixed reactions to the new system, with some welcoming its efficiency while others raised concerns over accessibility challenges.
A resident of Rubindi Kashari in Mbarara District, Balam Ainebyoona, welcomed the innovation but questioned how people in areas without internet connectivity would access the system.“In some areas, we don’t have internet how will manage to access my case when I don’t have internet?” he said.
Moreen Kyarisima, a 62-year-old resident of Rwebishuri Cell in Mbarara City North Division, said the system may benefit educated users but could exclude those with limited formal education.Legal practitioner Patrick Kajumba described the system as promising but emphasized the need for increased public sensitization to help users understand how it operates and how to fully benefit from it. URN