Vice President of the Supreme Court, Alphonse Hitiyaremye, has urged banks and other financial institutions to strengthen the use of mediation in resolving disputes with customers, describing it as a faster, fairer and more effective path to justice.
He made the call on Monday, May 26, 2026, during discussions between the Supreme Court and representatives of banks and microfinance institutions operating in Rwanda. The meeting focused on exploring ways to reduce the growing number of financial disputes reaching courts through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
Hitiyaremye said the financial sector remains central to Rwanda’s economic transformation because of its role in promoting investment, trade and citizens’ welfare, noting that disputes involving financial institutions should therefore be handled efficiently and in a manner that restores trust between parties.
“I encourage you to continue playing an active role in resolving disputes through mediation because it enables parties to reach constructive agreements while speeding up access to justice,” he said.
He added that mediation not only reduces the financial and time costs associated with prolonged court battles, but also helps preserve relationships between institutions and their clients.
“We urge all parties involved in disputes, especially court users, to increasingly opt for mediation so they can focus on productive activities instead of spending years navigating court processes,” he added.
The discussions come amid concerns over the rising number of commercial cases involving customers suing banks and financial institutions, mainly over disagreements related to loan contracts.
Over the past three years, at least 549 commercial-related cases have been filed before different courts across the country. However, the Judiciary says mediation is increasingly proving effective in easing the burden on courts and accelerating justice delivery.
Between April and May 2025 alone, about 45 disputes involving insurance companies and their clients before the High Court in Nyarugenge were successfully settled through mediation.
In December 2025, President of the Commercial High Court, Clotilde Mukamurera, said mediation had yielded strong results in commercial disputes, revealing that 320 business-related cases were resolved through the mechanism during the previous judicial year.
Chief Justice Domitilla Mukantaganzwa also disclosed that by the end of 2025, more than 20,000 cases had been resolved outside formal court proceedings, highlighting the growing confidence in mediation as an alternative justice mechanism.
Meanwhile, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) reported that it resolved 2,800 case files through mediation in 2025.
According to the Judiciary’s 2024/2025 report, disputes worth more than Rwf7.8 billion were settled through mediation, reinforcing its role as a faster and more efficient justice delivery mechanism.
