Judges and other judicial officials helped mediate cases involving more than Rwf 9 billion this year, a development that saved time and other resources that conflicting parties would have spent on litigation. For the past two years, the judiciary has put more efforts in Court Annexed Mediation (CAM), a mechanism where court registrars, judges and accredited mediators assist conflicting parties to settle disputes through mediation after realising that it is more appropriate. ALSO READ: Judiciary banks on mediation to reduce backlog in courts The system is used for settling civil, commercial, labour and administrative cases. From January to June 2023 alone, 1,221 cases were settled through CAM according to statistics from the judiciary. These cases are estimated to involve an amount of money reaching to Rwf 9,558,832,028. Harrison Mutabazi, the Spokesperson of the Judiciary, told The New Times that there has been an increase in the use of the procedure this year compared to the previous years. In 2022, for example, 821 cases were handled through mediation. ALSO READ: New policy on alternative justice to help reduce backlog in courts The judiciary is trying hard to encourage people to opt for alternative dispute resolution mechanisms rather than litigation. Besides saving money, officials say alternative dispute resolution restores relationships among people and contributes to a peaceful and happy society. In an earlier interview with The New Times, Professor Sam Rugege, the former Chief Justice and current head of the Advisory Committee of Professional Mediators, said the steps that mediation is taking prove the point that every effort should “be made to resolve disputes in the shortest time possible and at the lowest cost, which is possible through alternative dispute resolution. ALSO READ: Supreme Court certifies nearly 100 graduates in mediation practice In the coming years, the judiciary targets that at least 1,500 of the civil cases presented to the courts of law will be sorted through mediation.
