By Spy Uganda
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Honourable Justice Dr Flavian Zeija as the new Chief Justice of Uganda, replacing Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo, who retired after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70.
Dr Zeija, a respected jurist, academic and judicial administrator, most recently served as Deputy Chief Justice. His appointment crowns a distinguished legal career spanning the High Court, judicial leadership and legal scholarship.
Confirming the development, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among said Parliament had already initiated the process to scrutinise the appointment in line with constitutional requirements.
“Earlier today, we convened the Appointments Committee of Parliament to vet the Honourable Justice Flavian Zeija, who was appointed by His Excellency the President to serve as the Chief Justice of the Republic of Uganda. The committee’s report will be forwarded to the appointing authority in accordance with our rules of procedure,” Among said.
Dr Zeija’s appointment follows the formal retirement of Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo, which took effect on January 18, 2026, the day he turned 70, as required under the Constitution. Owiny-Dollo officially handed over office at the Supreme Court shortly after his retirement.
Owiny-Dollo leaves the Judiciary after more than four decades of service in the legal profession. Appointed Chief Justice in August 2020, he is widely credited with spearheading major reforms aimed at modernising Uganda’s justice system. These included the expansion of courts across the country, increased judicial staffing, reduction of case backlogs and the introduction of digital case management systems.
Before assuming the role of Chief Justice, Owiny-Dollo served in private legal practice for over two decades and held several senior judicial positions, including High Court judge, Justice of the Court of Appeal and Deputy Chief Justice. He also served as a Member of Parliament and was a delegate to the Constituent Assembly that drafted Uganda’s 1995 Constitution.
One of his most notable judicial contributions remains the landmark judgment arising from the 2010 Kampala terrorist bombings, a decision that continues to influence Uganda’s counter-terrorism jurisprudence.
Confirming his retirement, Owiny-Dollo said, “I ceased being Chief Justice at midnight last night,” noting that the Constitution provides for the Deputy Chief Justice to assume office in an acting capacity upon the retirement of a sitting Chief Justice.
Justice Zeija now steps into the role as Uganda’s top judicial officer, subject to parliamentary approval. Born on February 18, 1969, in Western Uganda, Zeija pursued his early education locally before joining Makerere University in 1993. He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1996 and obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in 1997.
He later earned a Master of Laws degree from Makerere University in 2002, a PhD in Law from the University of Dar es Salaam, and a Master of Business Administration from Uganda Martyrs University.
Dr Zeija has served as a judge of the High Court, Principal Judge and Deputy Chief Justice, building a reputation for legal scholarship, administrative competence and commitment to judicial reform. His appointment signals continuity in leadership as the Judiciary advances its reform agenda.
