Federalism and Jurisdiction of Customary Court in Oromia: The Case of Bacho Woreda
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Date
2025-11-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study investigates federalism and the competency of customary courts in Oromia using
Bacho Woreda as a case study. This study places the relationship between formal state laws and
customary law within the context of Ethiopia’s federalism which gives regional states
independent legal systems of their own. The study investigates the way customary courts coexist
and engage with formal courts of law utilizing qualitative methods. The study looks at their role
in the resolution of disputes and the governance of the community.
A study of the issues recorded and the related adjudicating practices in Bacho Woreda indicates
that customary courts substantially enhance harmony and cultural values. There are tensions
between the laws of the State and custom, and many types of social relations are delimited by
custom, and custom acts as a pressure group. The study shows that it is important to make
effective policies which bring the federal agendas and local governance structures in a
systematic way to not only increase access to justice but to empower the community which is
more systematic so that it respects the local ethos and is in agreement with the constitutional
framework of the country at large
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Keywords
Federalism, Jurisdiction, Customary Court, Oromia, Bacho Woreda