Namibia's judiciary is taking steps to bridge critical technological gaps in its justice system, moving from fragmented, outdated infrastructure to a unified digital future.
This digital transformation is being propelled through a strategic collaboration with Uganda, a country that has already made notable strides in electronic court case management.
Currently, Namibia's courts operate in a disjointed manner.
Lower courts use one type of native system; the High Court operates on an "eJustice" platform, while the Supreme Court remains entirely undigitized.
This fragmented landscape has hindered case progression and slowed down interagency communication.
In response, Namibia is turning to Uganda's tested and proven model.
"I have initiated a very important reform, digitisation of the courts, to enhance better administration of justice. We find the experience that we got in Uganda very useful; we learn from our counterparts about the great strides made towards the integrated system. We had useful exchanges in the area of plea bargaining, and now we have invited our colleagues from Uganda so that we can deepen the exchanges that we started, and we roll out the system in Namibia," said Deputy Chief Justice Petrus Damaseb.
The Ugandan judiciary has implemented an Electronic Court Case Management Information System—a comprehensive digital solution that enables real-time case tracking, secure data management, and seamless interaction with related institutions.
A high-level delegation led by Uganda's Deputy Chief Justice, Dr. Flavian Zeija, was hosted by Namibia's Deputy Chief Justice, Petrus Damaseb, this week.
The engagement was part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries aimed at fostering knowledge exchange in judicial innovation and reform.
Justice Damaseb said the visit was not only symbolic but strategic.
The move marks the start of technical consultations intended to guide Namibia's development of an integrated digital justice platform that links all courts, from the lower judiciary to the Supreme Court, and synchronises data flows with key government departments, including the police and prosecution services.
Key objectives of the transformation include eliminating system fragmentation, accelerating case processing timelines, enhancing inter-agency data exchange, and improving efficiency in judicial revenue collection.
The judiciary emphasised that this reform is more than just a tech upgrade; it is a systemic shift toward timely, transparent, and citizen-focused justice delivery.