President Yoweri Museveni has appointed 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, an academic and seasoned jurist, has previously served as a judge of the High Court of Uganda, Principal Judge, and most recently as Deputy Chief Justice. His appointment marks the culmination of a long judicial career spanning the bench, legal scholarship, and judicial administration.
Speaker of Parliament Anita Among confirmed the appointment during her address to Members of Parliament on January 21, 2026, at the Parliament House in Kampala, emphasizing that Parliament has already initiated steps to thoroughly scrutinize the appointment.
“We convened the Appointments Committee of Parliament to vet the Honorable 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 Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, which took effect on January 18, 2026, the day he turned 70, in line with constitutional requirements for Uganda’s highest judicial office.
Owiny-Dollo, who was appointed Chief Justice in August 2020, exits the Judiciary after more than four decades of service in the legal profession.
He is widely credited for spearheading far-reaching judicial reforms aimed at modernizing Uganda’s court 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 becoming Chief Justice, Owiny-Dollo had an extensive career that spanned over 20 years in private legal practice and senior judicial roles, including serving as a High Court judge, Justice of the Court of Appeal, and Deputy Chief Justice.
Beyond the Judiciary, 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 enduring judicial legacies remains the landmark judgment in the 2010 Kampala terrorist bombings case, a ruling that continues to shape Uganda’s counter-terrorism jurisprudence.
Confirming his retirement, Owiny-Dollo said: “I ceased being Chief Justice at midnight last night.”
He further noted that under the Constitution, the Deputy Chief Justice automatically assumes the role of Acting Chief Justice upon the retirement of a sitting Chief Justice, paving the way for Dr Zeija’s elevation to the top judicial office, subject to parliamentary approval.
