Margaret Zawedde Kiryowa v Alex Opua Emongas (Miscellaneous Application 823 of 2023) [2025] UGHCLD 333 (17 October 2025)

Ulii

Automated Summary

Key Facts

The Applicant, Margaret Zawedde Kiriowa, filed an application on 2023-04-25 seeking a declaration that the Respondent, Alex Opu Omongas, was in contempt of a 2020 court order. The court dismissed the application due to the Applicant's lack of procedural action over 29 months and to prevent backlog. The dismissal occurred under section 17 (2) of the Judicature Act with no cost orders.

Issues

The court considered whether to maintain the application on record given the lack of progress and resulting backlog, ultimately dismissing it under section 17 (2) of the Judicature Act without orders as to costs.

Holdings

The application is hereby dismissed under section 17 (2) of the Judicature Act with no Orders as to costs. The Applicants have not taken any concrete steps to have this matter fixed for hearing, and it is now over 29 months since it was filed. The court found no reason to maintain the instant application on record as it is creating backlog.

Remedies

This Application is therefore hereby dismissed under section 17 (2) of the Judicature Act with no Orders as to costs.

Legal Principles

The court dismissed the application under section 17(2) of the Judicature Act, citing the applicant's failure to take steps toward hearing the matter over 29 months and the resulting backlog. This reflects judicial discretion to manage court records and dismiss cases abandoned by applicants.

Cited Statute

Judicature Act

Judge Name

Samuel Emokor

Passage Text

  • The Applicants have not taken any concrete steps to have this matter fixed for hearing. It would appear that the Applicants have lost interest in this same given that it is now over 29 months since the it was filed.
  • The Applicant filed the instant application by Notice of Motion on the 25/04/2023 seeking interalia Orders of a declaration that the Respondent acted in contempt of this Court's Orders issued 2nd September 2020 in Miscellaneous Application No.1193 of 2019.
  • This Application is therefore hereby dismissed under section 17 (2) of the Judicature Act with no Orders as to costs.