Originally from Arbitration Law and Practice in Africa

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I.  INTRODUCTION: ARBITRATION IN UGANDA—HISTORY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

A. History and Current Legislation on Arbitration

1. Historical evolution of the law relating to arbitration in Uganda

The Arbitration and Conciliation Act 2000  (“ACA”) supersedes the Arbitration Act Cap 55. As a former British Protectorate, the law of Uganda draws heavily on English legal principles. The old provisions of the Arbitration Act were complex and enforcement of international awards was by no means straightforward. Uganda does not have a long history of formal arbitration. However, in recent years Uganda has established itself as a willing recipient of foreign direct investment and with that she has embraced the best international standards of arbitral practice reflected in the ACA which closely follows the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law model law (“UNCITRAL” Model Law) including the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules and the UNCITRAL Conciliation Rules. The ACA eliminates the need for complex analysis of incoherent residual British colonial legislation.