President Yoweri Museveni has appointed Hon. Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija as Chief Justice of Uganda, replacing Owiny-Dollo who retired last weekend.

On Thursday, Parliament’s Committee on Appointments, chaired by Speaker Anita Among, commenced the vetting of Justice Zeija, who has been serving as Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The committee assessed his suitability, competence, and integrity ahead of parliamentary approval.

Justice Zeija’s nomination follows his long and steady rise through the Judiciary, where he has built a reputation as a seasoned jurist, court administrator, and legal scholar.

He was appointed Deputy Chief Justice on 7 February 2025, having previously served as Principal Judge from December 2019. As Principal Judge, he supervised the High Court and Magistrates Courts nationwide, making him the third-highest ranking judicial officer at the time.

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Born on 18 February 1969, Justice Zeija is academically accomplished, holding a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University, a Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, a Master of Laws from Makerere, a PhD in Law from the University of Dar es Salaam, and an MBA from Uganda Martyrs University. He is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (UK).

Before joining the Bench, Justice Zeija practiced law extensively, working with leading law firms and financial institutions, including Tropical Bank and FINCA Uganda. He later became managing partner at Zeija, Mukasa & Company Advocates. Alongside legal practice, he taught law at Makerere University, Uganda Christian University, and Makerere University Business School, where he was the founding head of the Business Law department.

Appointed a High Court judge in 2016, he served as Resident Judge of the Mbarara High Court Circuit, the country’s largest, before his elevation to the Judiciary’s top administrative roles. Among his notable decisions is the 2020 ruling in Kalemera H. Kimera vs Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II, where he clarified Uganda’s inheritance law regarding the rights of grandchildren.

If approved by Parliament, Justice Zeija will assume office as Chief Justice at a time when the Judiciary faces mounting pressure to reduce case backlogs, strengthen judicial independence, and expand access to justice.