President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has appointed Justice Flavian Zeija as the new Chief Justice of Uganda, pending approval by Parliament.

Justice Zeija will take over from Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, who retired earlier this month after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 70 years.

In a statement issued on January 22, 2026, President Museveni said the appointment was made in accordance with Article 142(1) of the 1995 Constitution and on the recommendation of the Judicial Service Commission.

At 56 years, Justice Zeija has been serving as Deputy Chief Justice since February 2025, following a steady rise through the ranks of the Judiciary.

He was appointed a Judge of the High Court in 2016 and later served as Resident Judge of the Mbarara High Court Circuit before his elevation to Principal Judge in 2019.

Before joining the Bench, Justice Zeija worked in private legal practice, the banking sector, and academia.

He lectured at several universities, includingMakerere University Business School, where he was the founding Head of the Department of Business Law.

Justice Zeija holds a Doctorate in Law from theUniversity of Dar es Salaam, Law degrees from Makerere University, aDiploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) fromUganda Martyrs University.

His appointment comes at a time when the Judiciary is grappling with case backlogs and public confidence concerns, raising expectations for institutional reforms and improved efficiency in service delivery.

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