Industrial Court of Uganda

The Industrial Court was established under the Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act, 2006 Cap 224, Laws of Uganda, and section 7.  2006.

The Act was assentenced to on 24th May 2006; and commenced on the 07th August 2006 via a Ministerial statutory instrument.

The Court's jurisdiction ambit are labour disputes referred to it by a party to a dispute where a labour officer has failed to dispose of the dispute within 08 weeks under the court's regulations as requested under the act, disputes referred by the Labour officer at the request of the party or on the officer's own volition when is unable to resolve the dispute; or by responsible Minister on notice of an intended withdrawal of labour within 05 days. Appeals can also be filed against labour officers' decision under the Employment Act. The Court has no original jurisdiction over Labour disputes.

 

Physical address
Plot 25-27, off Martyr's way Ntinda. P.O.Box, 21456 Kampala.
4 judgments
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4 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
December 2025
Applicants failed to show sufficient cause; mediation and asserted ignorance did not justify extending time to file the Memorandum of Claim.
Civil procedure – extension of time – Rule 6(1)-(2) of Industrial Court Rules – "sufficient cause" test – mediation does not suspend statutory filing timelines – representation and ignorance of procedure – requirement for satisfactory explanation for delay.
22 December 2025
Claimant unlawfully summarily terminated; awarded unpaid salary, notice pay, general and aggravated damages, costs and interest.
Employment law – summary termination without notice – distinction between termination and dismissal – employer’s burden to prove lawful procedure – COVID-19 as defence to downsizing rejected for lack of chronology and evidence – remedies: unpaid salary, payment in lieu of notice, general and aggravated damages; severance and punitive damages denied – costs and interest ordered.
12 December 2025
Res judicata and lis pendens do not bar a subsequent labour claim arising after judicial review of administrative non-renewal.
Civil procedure – res judicata – applicability to subsequent labour claims; lis pendens – pending appeal and identity of issues; distinction between judicial review (public/administrative law) and labour (private contractual) remedies; stay of proceedings and inherent powers; jurisdiction of Industrial Court to hear post-termination labour claims.
12 December 2025
The claimant was unlawfully dismissed and awarded one year’s salary as general damages; exemplary damages denied.
Employment law – unfair/unlawful dismissal – procedural and substantive fairness – general damages as solatium – exemplary damages reserved for egregious misconduct – salary-linked loan claims require documentary nexus – interest and costs.
9 December 2025