Zeija Bids Farewell to Court of Appeal as He Assumes Chief Justice Role

The Court of Appeal of Uganda and Constitutional Court of Uganda on Thursday held a special sitting and luncheon in honour of Flavian Zeija following his elevation to Chief Justice of Uganda.

The event, held at the Court of Appeal Conference Hall in Kampala, marked the end of Zeija’s tenure as Deputy Chief Justice, with colleagues paying tribute to his leadership and contributions to the judiciary.

In his remarks, Zeija described the occasion as both humbling and emotional, noting that it signified the close of a significant chapter in his judicial service. He said his time at the appellate court had been demanding but equally fulfilling, largely due to the collegiality and teamwork among the justices.

“Serving in this Court has been one of the greatest honours of my professional life. Together, we have borne the responsibility of interpreting the law and administering justice to the people of Uganda,” he said.

He commended fellow justices for their intellectual rigour and commitment, adding that their deliberations had enriched Uganda’s jurisprudence and strengthened the rule of law. He also acknowledged the contribution of court staff, whose professionalism he said had supported the delivery of quality judgments.

Looking ahead, Zeija pointed to the persistent challenge of case backlog at the court but expressed optimism that it would ease once the statutory number of justices is attained. He pledged continued engagement with the court, indicating he would make quarterly visits to support efforts aimed at improving justice delivery.

Moving a motion to formally record the court’s appreciation, Geoffrey Kiryabwire said the sitting was convened to congratulate Zeija and recognise his leadership during his tenure as Deputy Chief Justice.

“You know the challenges, aspirations, and needs of this Court. There is no one better placed than you to support its continued growth,” Kiryabwire said, urging him to remain closely engaged, particularly in the absence of a substantive Deputy Chief Justice.

The motion was seconded by Fredrick Martin Stephen Egonda-Ntende and Hellen Obura. Egonda-Ntende described Zeija’s leadership as impactful, saying it had strengthened collegiality within the court.

“Our loss is the gain of the entire Judiciary,” he said.

Justice Obura, in her tribute, highlighted Zeija’s efforts to tackle case backlog and combat corruption, as well as his empathy and concern for the welfare of judicial officers.

Representing the Court of Appeal Court Users Committee, Norah Matovu commended Zeija’s steady rise through the judiciary—from High Court judge to Principal Judge, Deputy Chief Justice, and now Chief Justice—describing his leadership as innovative and transformative.

However, she noted that the court continues to grapple with a backlog of more than 12,700 cases and called for urgent filling of judicial vacancies up to the statutory ceiling of 35 justices to improve access to justice, particularly for vulnerable court users.

The event concluded with the presentation of gifts to the Chief Justice and his team, marking a ceremonial send-off as he assumes the judiciary’s top office.