The effect of corruption on administration of justice in Uganda : lessons from two chief magistrates’ courts in Kampala and Mukono districts

Abstract

A well functioning judiciary remains a key pillar for administration of justice in any government pretentious of being democratic. The legal system ought to be characterised by impartiality, consistency, openness, predictability, and stability. Citizens ought to be equal before the law. Unfortunately, the judiciary in many African countries is a poisoned institution due to the corruption malaise. In this article, two case studies of Buganda Road and Mukono Chief Magistrates Courts to show how specific forms of corruption affect the administration of justice, are discussed. Use was made of a cross-sectional descriptive survey design that included a sample size of 86 respondents. Both qualitative and quantitative techniques were used in the study. The analysis was done using correlation to establish the relationships between the study variables. The article identifies theoretical and policy implications that appeal to both local and international audiences.