The Justice Sector Reform and Access to Justice in the Addis Ababa City Government (AACG)

Abstract

The City Council in AACG among its duties drafts and enacts legislations concerning municipal affairs and jurisdictions; establishes judicial bodies; and defines their powers and functions in accordance with the City Charter. Thus, the Addis Ababa City Charter creates two levels of City Courts of dealing with municipal jurisdictions. There is no Supreme Court in the Municipal Court System, although a cassation bench is included within the Appellate Court. Cassation review of Appellate Court decisions can be brought before the Federal Supreme Court. This court has also the power to decide on matters of jurisdictional conflicts between the City courts and Federal Courts. The court system in Addis Ababa City reflects a similar division as in between federal and state courts, except being at two levels. The courts are supposed to minimize the case load of the City Courts and the Federal Courts. This paper explores the Justice Sector Reform and Access to Justice in AACG.  It mainly centers on the reforms made in the city courts and the Justice Bureau with their jurisdictions, structure, composition, and functions. Furthermore, cases are also analyzed so as to substantiate the study. The findings of the research revealed that there are considerable jurisdictional gaps and the two level court structure has an impact on the appeal right of citizens.  Finally, the conclusions and recommendations in the study are supposed to improve the functioning of the Addis Ababa Justice Sector.