Uganda’s judiciary has entered a new chapter following the appointment of Justice Flavian Zeija as the country’s new Chief Justice, marking the culmination of a long and steady rise through the legal and judicial ranks.
Justice Zeija, a seasoned lawyer, academic, and jurist, has been appointed Chief Justice by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, succeeding Aloysius R. A. Owiny-Dollo, who retired upon completion of his term and clocking mandatory retirement age.
Zeija, 58, has Thursday been vetted and endorsed by Parliament of Uganda to kickstart his work at the helm of the third arm of government.
Prior to this elevation, Zeija had served as Deputy Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda since 7 February 2025.
Before joining the apex leadership of the judiciary, Zeija was the Principal Judge of Uganda, a position he assumed on 25 December 2019. In that role, he was responsible for supervising judges of the High Court, assigning judicial duties, and overseeing the Magistrates Courts across the country.
The office of Principal Judge is the third-highest judicial position in Uganda, behind only the Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice.
Born on 18 February 1969, Justice Zeija received his secondary education at St. Mary’s College Rushoroza, where he served as Head Prefect. He later joined Makerere University in 1993, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws degree in 1996, before obtaining a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in 1997.
His academic journey continued with a Master of Laws degree from Makerere University in 2002, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law from the University of Dar es Salaam in 2013. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Uganda Martyrs University, earned in 2018, and is a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (UK).
Professionally, Zeija built a strong legal career in private practice and corporate law before joining the bench. He worked with Kwesigabo, Bamwine, Walubiri & Company Advocates, served as Manager Legal and Recovery at Tropical Africa Bank, and later as Legal Counsel at FINCA Uganda Limited.
At the time of his judicial appointment, he was the Managing Partner at Zeija, Mukasa & Company Advocates.
Justice Zeija was appointed a Judge of the High Court of Uganda in 2016 and deployed as Resident Judge of the Mbarara High Court Circuit, the largest in the country. Alongside his legal practice, he lectured at Uganda Christian University, Makerere University, and Makerere University Business School, where he was the founding head of the Department of Business Law.
Among his notable judicial decisions is the September 2020 ruling in Kalemera H. Kimera vs Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi II, where he clarified Uganda’s inheritance law, holding that a grandchild not expressly named in a will cannot contest a grandparent’s estate.
Justice Flavian Zeija is a father of five, and his appointment as Chief Justice places him at the helm of Uganda’s judiciary at a critical moment for legal reform and institutional trust.
