A Quest for a Wider Mandates to Customary Justice Institutions in Ethiopia: A Particular Emphasis on ‘Yaa’aa Yaaboo’ (a Qaallu Court)

Abstract

This study assesses the functioning of yaa’aa yaaboo customary court (the Qaallu court), which is found in the Oromia National Regional State of Ethiopia, in west the Shewa zone in the Ambo district. This court accepts and handles any criminal and civil cases unless cases are pending in the formal courts. The effectiveness of this court in course of handling both civil and criminal cases is rarely treated in different kinds of literatures. Thus, the aim of this article is to fill this gap. To realize this objective, the study employed a qualitative research approach. By showing the overall functioning of this court, this article recommended a legal reform that may include a constitutional amendment to give wider mandates than envisaged under the current constitution to customary justice institutions.