Lawyers have been urged to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies while strengthening ethics, cybersecurity, and accountability to protect public trust.
The call was made at the opening of the Uganda Law Society’s (ULS) 2026 Digital Transformation Festival at Commonwealth Resort, Munyonyo, Kampala, under the theme, “Digital Democracy: Advancing Access to Justice, Innovation and Ethical Governance through Technology.”
Attorney General Sam Mayanja said technology is now part of almost every area of life, including agriculture, finance and public services. He urged lawyers to use digital tools responsibly rather than for personal gain.
“We must ensure the technology is used productively, not for personal gain. Use the new technologies to create new changes,” Mayanja said.
He said AI requires clear professional guidance on verification, confidentiality and accountability.
Mayanja also urged law firms and justice institutions to improve cybersecurity and train staff in the safe use of digital systems. He said digital justice should also reach people outside major urban centres.
The attorney general asked ULS to consolidate recommendations from the festival and submit them to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs for consideration.
“My Chambers will receive and consider proposals concerning legislative, procedural and ethical reforms and engage the appropriate institutions where further action is required,” he said.
Mayanja also called for closer cooperation between lawyers and judges.
Tony Galandi Kiire, managing partner of Diamond Advocates and chairperson of the festival organising committee, said ULS had taken the programme to Mbarara, Gulu and Mbale to expose lawyers across the country to new technologies.
He said widespread use of AI requires lawyers, judges, clients and innovators to understand its risks.
Kiire also pointed to the need for better interoperability between the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) and institutions such as NIRA and prisons.
The festival featured demonstrations of local legal technology. Austin Ekesa of LexTech Uganda showcased JuriAssist, an AI-powered tool designed to assist lawyers and magistrates with legal drafting.
He said the system contains Ugandan case law and can reduce the time spent preparing routine documents.
Baker Mugaino, commissioner for Land Registration at the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, said digitalisation had also improved land registration, including the processing of electronic titles.
ULS Vice-President Anthony Asiimwe said lawyers must adapt to a world that is no longer analogue while continuing to protect the public interest.
Delivering the keynote address, retired Justice Fredrick Martin Stephen Egonda-Ntende said technology should support justice without replacing human dignity and accountability.
He urged lawyers to use digital tools to research historical records, preserve evidence and pursue accountability for alleged human rights violations. His judicial career and name are documented in Ugandan legal sources.
He cited allegations of torture at Nalufenya Police Station as cases where technology could help locate records and preserve evidence.
“I implore you to use technology as a tool in defence of our people,” Egonda-Ntende said before declaring the festival officially open.
