Background
Established in 1999 with 10 public institutions, the Justice Law and Order Sector (JLOS) was created to improve access to justice through coordinated, evidence-based planning and resource allocation. Implementation commenced with the first Strategic Investment Plan (SIP I: 2001/02–2005/06), followed by SIP II (2006/07–2011/12), and SIP III (2012/13–2016/17). SIP III notably emphasized enhancing public trust in the justice system and improving user satisfaction.
Mandate and Composition
JLOS represents a sector-wide approach by the Government of Uganda, bringing together 18 institutions with mandates spanning justice administration, law enforcement, and human rights protection. The sector promotes integrated planning, budgeting, implementation, and monitoring to ensure comprehensive and coordinated delivery of justice services.
Strategic Investment Plans Overview
SIP I – Rebuilding and Retooling
SIP I prioritized criminal and commercial justice, spearheaded by the Chain-linked Initiative and the Commercial Justice Reform Programme (CJRP). These initiatives focused on legal reform, institutional strengthening, and enhancing the business environment. The primary aim was to rebuild institutional capacity and retool staff after years of instability.
SIP II – Stabilization
Building on the foundations of SIP I, SIP II focused on consolidating achievements and extending justice services to marginalized and impoverished communities. It aligned with national frameworks such as the
Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) and the Medium-Term Competitiveness Strategy (MTCS). Key focus areas included corruption reduction, case backlog, gender equity, environmental protection, and addressing HIV/AIDS. The sector grew to include 11 core institutions and 4 allied agencies.
Key Achievements under SIP I & II:
- Reduced the remand period for serious offenses from 24 to 15 months.
- Improved efficiency in the Commercial Court and increased use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
- Established the Centre for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution (CADER) and the Tax Appeals Tribunal.
- Reformed 40 commercial laws.
- Strengthened the legal profession and set up a legal resource center at the Uganda Law Society.
SIP III – Consolidation
SIP III shifted focus from infrastructure to service delivery. Key priorities included land, family, and transitional justice, prevention of gender-based violence, and promotion of workers’ rights. Accountability and human rights were central to this phase. Membership expanded to 17 institutions, with the inclusion of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau.
Progress under SIP III (2012–2016):
- Public confidence in JLOS increased from 26% to 48%.
- Service satisfaction improved from 59% to 72%.
- Judicial independence index rose from 2.8 to 3.41.
- Uganda’s global judicial independence ranking improved from 128 to 91.
- “Doing Business” ranking climbed from 139 to 122.
- JLOS presence extended to 82% of districts (up from 75%).
- Fully developed JLOS infrastructure expanded from 35% to 59.8% of districts.
- Average remand period reduced from 23 to 10.4 months.
- Case backlog declined from 39% to 25%.
- ADR success rate increased from 22% to 55%.
- Crime rate dropped from 314 to 296 per 100,000 population.
- Reported human rights violations by JLOS institutions fell by 41%.
Sector Overview
JLOS facilitates collaborative planning and implementation among justice-related institutions. The sector fosters a unified vision, integrated strategies, and shared accountability to improve justice delivery, law enforcement, and human rights protection.
Member Institutions
- Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (MOJCA)
- Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA)
- Judiciary
- Uganda Police Force (UPF)
- Uganda Prison Service (UPS)
- Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP)
- Judicial Service Commission (JSC)
- Ministry of Local Government (Local Council Courts)
- Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (Probation and Juvenile Justice)
- Uganda Law Reform Commission (ULRC)
- Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC)
- Law Development Centre (LDC)
- Tax Appeals Tribunal (TAT)
- Uganda Law Society (ULS)
- Centre for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution (CADER)
- Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB)
Vision
A Safe and Just Society for All
Mission
To enhance personal safety, property security, human rights observance, and access to justice—thereby accelerating growth, employment, and national prosperity.
Goal
To promote the rule of law. Under SIP III, the specific goal was to increase public satisfaction with JLOS services to at least 70%, and to raise public confidence from 34% in 2008 to 50% by 2017.
Expected Outcomes by the End of SIP III
- Strengthened policy and regulatory frameworks.
- Improved access to justice services, especially for marginalized and vulnerable groups.
- Enhanced human rights protection and institutional accountability.
Key Achievements
1. Crime Reduction
- Crime rate decreased by 43%, from 532 to 305 per 100,000 population (2000–2012).
- Recidivism fell below 30%.
- Police-to-population ratio improved from 1:1,734 to 1:755.
- Enhanced capacity to combat crime.
2. Business Environment
- 40 out of 44 commercial laws reformed, reducing bureaucratic burdens.
- Improved Uganda’s attractiveness to investors.
3. Improved Service Access
- JLOS services now accessible within a 15km radius nationwide.
- Reduced remand periods and faster case handling.
- Border clearance times cut to under 5 minutes.
- Work permits issued in 28 days (down from 90 in 2004).
- Business registration streamlined to 24 hours (down from 30 days in 2001).
4. Strengthened Civil Administration
- Functional JLOS presence established across Uganda, including post-conflict regions.