By Ben Musanje
The air at Senior Quarter Cell, Iriaga Ward, Laroo- Pece Division, Gulu City in Gulu district was thick with tension as residents gathered, hope mixed with frustration, waiting for answers that had taken years to ask. When Principal Judge Justice Jane Francis Abodo stepped forward, she was not just meeting officials. She was stepping into the lives of people who felt forgotten by the very system meant to protect them.
Then came the voice that changed the mood completely.
Alex Okoya, LC2 Chairperson of Labour Line Ward who also heads all LC Chairperson in Gulu City, stood up without fear. His words were not polished, but they were powerful. He welcomed Principal Judge Justice Jane Francis Abodo, but quickly made it clear this was no ordinary welcome. What she had seen that day, he said, was the daily reality of his people.
He spoke of cases moving in court without people ever knowing they were being judged. “They don’t serve us,” he said, describing how individuals are never officially notified. Instead, fake affidavits are allegedly created, and suddenly a case is already decided. For the ordinary person, justice becomes something done behind their back.
The crowd grew quiet as he explained how even a simple WhatsApp message is used as proof that someone was informed, yet it comes with heavy costs. To many listening, it sounded less like justice and more like a system taking advantage of the poor.
But Alex Okoya was not done.
His voice dropped slightly as he shared his own painful experience. Years ago, after speaking out just like this, he found himself battling the same system. It took eight bail applications for him to walk free. The memory still lingered, and standing there again, he could not hide his fear. “Let me not be victimized,” he said, looking directly ahead.
Then came the question that left many unsettled.
He suggested that personal disagreements and politics are quietly shaping justice. Land conflicts, relationships, even football rivalries were finding their way into courtrooms. But it was his mention of political support that hit hardest. “Maybe I supported NUP,” he said, raising a concern that many had whispered but never openly said.
In that moment, the gathering felt less like a formal judicial outreach and more like a mirror reflecting the fears of ordinary Ugandans. Could political choices really follow someone into the courtroom?
When Principal Judge Justice Jane Francis Abodo responded, she did not dismiss the concerns. Instead, she acknowledged them with a calm seriousness. She reminded everyone that justice begins with the people themselves. If cases are not reported, the system cannot act. But she also admitted something rare—sometimes the judiciary believes it is working hard, yet still fails the people.
She thanked the community for speaking honestly, even when the truth was uncomfortable. To her, the criticism was necessary. It showed where the system was hurting.
Her focus turned to the most vulnerable. She spoke about women and children, many of whom suffer in silence through gender-based violence. She emphasized the need for a system that listens, believes, and acts without causing more pain. Without that, she warned, justice becomes another form of suffering.
As the event slowly came to an end, the sky threatened rain, and people began to shift. There were no immediate solutions, no promises that everything would change overnight. But something had shifted. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
