By Mahmud Tim Kargbo
The measure of a justice system is not found only in the authority of its judgments, but in its ability to make justice reachable, credible and meaningful for the people who depend on it. Across Africa, this principle is shaping a new generation of judicial reform. Courts remain the ultimate guardians of constitutional rights, legal accountability and institutional order, yet the changing realities of African societies are demanding a broader understanding of how justice should function. Growing populations, expanding economies, complex disputes and rising public expectations have placed new responsibilities on judicial institutions. The challenge facing Africa is no longer simply preserving the rule of law; it is ensuring that the rule of law remains accessible in practice. It is against this background that Sierra Leone’s Chief Justice, Justice Komba Kamanda, joined Africa’s judicial leadership at the 3rd Africa Chief Justices’ Alternative Dispute Resolution Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, from 18th to 19th June 2026. His participation represented Sierra Leone’s contribution to a wider continental search for justice systems capable of responding to the demands of the future.
The Nairobi summit brought together Chief Justices, senior judges, legal practitioners, academics, policymakers and justice sector stakeholders to examine the future of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Alternative Justice Systems across Africa. Justice Kamanda’s role as co-chair of one of the summit’s most significant sessions placed him within the centre of a conversation about the transformation of judicial practice on the continent. His message that ADR remains essential for improving access to justice and accelerating dispute resolution reflects a deeper institutional reality. Modern justice cannot be measured only by the strength of legal principles; it must also be assessed by whether those principles can be delivered efficiently to citizens. The significance of ADR lies in its capacity to complement formal courts while creating additional pathways for resolving disputes. In this regard, the Chief Justice’s contribution aligned with a growing African judicial movement towards systems that combine authority with accessibility.
The rise of Alternative Dispute Resolution represents more than a procedural adjustment within courts. It reflects a changing philosophy about what justice should achieve. For generations, litigation has been viewed as the primary route to legal resolution, but experience has shown that some disputes require approaches built around dialogue, settlement and restoration. Mediation and arbitration can reduce unnecessary delays, preserve relationships and allow courts to focus their resources on matters requiring formal adjudication. This evolving approach corresponds with international justice principles, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16, which places inclusive justice and effective institutions at the heart of sustainable societies https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal16. It also aligns with the work of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, which has developed frameworks supporting arbitration and mediation as tools for legal certainty and economic confidence https://uncitral.un.org. Africa’s engagement with ADR is therefore not a retreat from formal justice; it is an effort to strengthen it.
The importance of the Africa Chief Justices’ ADR Summit lies in its recognition that judicial reform requires collective imagination. Established after the inaugural summit in Kampala in 2024, the platform has evolved into a continental space where judicial leaders share experiences, evaluate reforms and consider solutions to common challenges. Across Africa, courts operate within different legal traditions, yet many face similar pressures: increasing caseloads, limited resources and the need to maintain public confidence. The summit acknowledges that justice reform cannot be achieved through isolated national strategies alone. It creates a forum where African judiciaries can learn from one another while developing approaches suited to their own realities. The Nairobi gathering therefore represented a significant step in building a shared continental vision of justice.
The conversation surrounding Alternative Justice Systems also reveals a deeper connection between Africa’s past and its legal future. Long before modern judicial institutions were established, African communities relied on systems of negotiation, reconciliation and collective responsibility to resolve disputes. The modern discussion around ADR does not seek to romanticise traditional practices or weaken formal legal safeguards. Rather, it raises an important question about whether contemporary justice systems can become more responsive by recognising approaches that reflect social realities. The future of African justice may depend on the ability to combine institutional strength with cultural understanding. A system that is legally sound but disconnected from the communities it serves risks losing public trust. ADR offers a bridge between the authority of law and the lived experiences of society.
Kenya’s hosting of the summit added practical relevance to these discussions because the country has continued to develop court-connected mediation and alternative mechanisms as part of its judicial reform agenda. The Kenyan Judiciary has promoted mediation as a means of improving efficiency, reducing unnecessary litigation and expanding access to justice https://judiciary.go.ke. Nairobi therefore provided more than a location for continental dialogue; it offered an example of reform being tested within a functioning judicial environment. Kenya’s experience demonstrates that ADR can strengthen courts when it is integrated responsibly into the broader justice system. For visiting judicial leaders, the summit created an opportunity to examine how innovation can move from policy discussions into institutional practice. The lessons emerging from Nairobi will likely continue influencing justice reform conversations across Africa.
For Sierra Leone, Justice Kamanda’s participation carries significance beyond representation at an international gathering. It places the country within Africa’s broader movement towards judicial renewal and institutional adaptation. Sierra Leone’s judiciary continues to operate within the wider challenge facing many African legal systems: how to preserve authority while improving efficiency, accessibility and public confidence. Engagements such as the Nairobi summit provide opportunities to exchange knowledge, strengthen professional relationships and examine reforms that may support national priorities. Through its official platform http://www.judiciary.gov.sl, the Judiciary of Sierra Leone continues to communicate its institutional work and commitment to justice delivery. Sierra Leone’s involvement demonstrates that judicial progress is increasingly shaped by cooperation, comparison and shared learning.
The strength of Sierra Leone’s delegation further reflected the seriousness of its engagement. Accompanying the Chief Justice were Supreme Court Judge Justice Alusine Sesay, Court of Appeal Judge Justice John Bosco Allieu and High Court Judge Justice Adrian J. Fisher. Their participation demonstrated that meaningful judicial reform is not the responsibility of one individual or one institution alone. It requires shared commitment across the judicial hierarchy. Senior judicial participation also ensures that ideas generated at continental forums can influence practical processes within national courts. Reform becomes sustainable when it moves beyond speeches and becomes part of institutional culture. The Sierra Leone delegation therefore represented both participation and responsibility.
Chief Justice Kamanda’s statement during the summit captured the central ambition behind Africa’s ADR movement. He emphasised the need to deal with cases timeously and adopt a more practical and inclusive approach to dispute resolution. This message speaks to a fundamental reality: delayed justice has consequences beyond court administration. It affects businesses seeking certainty, families seeking resolution and communities seeking stability. Public confidence in institutions is strengthened when citizens believe that justice is not only available but achievable. ADR provides one pathway towards closing the distance between legal institutions and the people they serve. It reflects a judicial philosophy that recognises efficiency as part of fairness.
However, the expansion of ADR requires careful responsibility. Alternative mechanisms must be supported by skilled practitioners, public awareness, enforceable outcomes and protections that preserve fairness. Speed cannot replace justice, and informality cannot undermine accountability. The objective is not to create a system that avoids courts, but one that allows courts to function more effectively by directing disputes towards appropriate channels. African judiciaries must therefore continue refining ADR frameworks with both ambition and caution. The success of these systems will depend on their ability to combine innovation with integrity.
The significance of Justice Kamanda’s Nairobi engagement ultimately extends beyond the summit itself. It reflects a wider transformation in how Africa understands the future of justice. The continent is moving towards judicial systems that are not only independent and authoritative, but also adaptive and people-centred. Sierra Leone’s presence in Nairobi demonstrated that smaller jurisdictions can play meaningful roles in shaping continental conversations about institutional progress. The future of justice will belong to systems that understand that legitimacy is earned through service, responsiveness and trust. ADR is therefore not merely a method of resolving disputes; it is part of a larger rethinking of how justice reaches society. In that sense, Kamanda’s Nairobi moment represents more than Sierra Leone’s participation in a summit. It represents a contribution to Africa’s continuing journey towards a justice order built not only on law, but on accessibility, inclusion and public confidence.