Time for Complementarity? An Evaluation of the International Crimes Division of the High Court of Uganda.

The article focuses on the establishment, challenges, and performance of Uganda’s International Crimes Division (ICD) of the High Court, created to prosecute serious international crimes arising from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) conflict and to complement the International Criminal Court (ICC) under the Rome Statute. Despite its mandate, the ICD has secured only one major conviction—Thomas Kwoyelo’s 2024 sentencing after a prolonged 15-year trial—highlighting systemic issues such as limited political will, inadequate witness protection, funding constraints, judicial turnover, and legal conflicts with Uganda’s Amnesty Act. While the ICD has seen relatively more progress in terrorism-related cases, its effectiveness in prosecuting international crimes remains limited, prompting calls for reforms including better funding, specialized judicial appointments, enhanced victim participation, and stronger witness protection mechanisms. The article concludes with recommendations aimed at improving the ICD’s capacity to deliver justice domestically and to serve as a model for other states addressing atrocity crimes.