By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
Uganda’s Chief Justice, His Lordship Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo, has retired at the age of 70, concluding a legal and public service career spanning over forty years.
Appointed Chief Justice in August 2020, he oversaw reforms aimed at improving access to justice, reducing case backlogs, and modernizing court operations. Before becoming Chief Justice, Owiny-Dollo served as Deputy Chief Justice and head of the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court, and previously as a High Court Judge.
He spent more than two decades in private legal practice, handling litigation, conveyancing, and advisory work, and is recognized for delivering the landmark judgment in the 2010 Kampala terrorist bombings case.
His public service has included roles as a Member of Parliament, a Delegate to the Constituent Assembly that drafted Uganda’s 1995 Constitution, and a government minister. He also engaged in peacebuilding initiatives, including a six-hour meeting with Joseph Kony in the DRC.
Upon taking office, Owiny-Dollo launched the Judiciary Transformation Agenda (2020–2025) to address long-standing challenges such as case backlog, limited access to justice, staffing gaps, and outdated infrastructure.
Under his leadership, the courts increased case disposals, established new High Court Circuits and magistrates’ courts, and completed major infrastructure projects, including the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal Towers.
He championed digitization through an electronic case management system, promoted culturally accepted dispute resolution mechanisms, and strengthened judicial human resources.
Despite these achievements, challenges remained. Judicial funding, though increased, fell short of demand, and backlogs continued to grow in the face of rising caseloads. Regional insecurity, poor road networks, and incomplete implementation of some court decisions also constrained access to justice.
Owiny-Dollo presided over high-profile cases, including the 2021 Presidential Election Petition filed by Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu against President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and rulings on the jurisdiction of UPDF courts over civilians.
Some have praised him for some of the judgments he has delivered, including the one in which he ruled against the trial of civilians at the UPDF’s Court Martial.
The court ruled that courts Martial lacked jurisdiction to try civilians. The Supreme Court’s rulings were widely acclaimed. Some praised the Chief Justices and other justices of the Court for gathering the courage to rule against a section of the UPDF Act in a constitutional petition by former legislator Michael Kabaziruka.
Former Uganda Law Society President, Senior Counsel, Francis Gimara, while delivering a keynote address at the 8th Memorial Lecture in honor of Benedicto Kiwanuka.
“To honor Benedicto Kiwanuka’s legacy, we must defend justice. In our current context, this means we should be very deliberate in fostering a culture of civic courage. And by so doing will be truly honouring him,” said Gimara.
In essence, Gimara seemed to praise the outgoing Chief Justices and other justices for being courageous
The Chief Justice, Owiny-Dollo, disagreed with Francis Gimara that judges needed courage to rule on any matter before them.
“I doubt that Benedicto Kiwanuka was courageous. If it requires a judge to be courageous to render justice, that is very dangerous. To my understanding, Chief Justice Benedicto Kiwanuka was a conscientious person. A man who stood by his oath, which are the principles that govern the exercise of judicial mandate,” he said,
“My young brother has cited the Kabaziruka case. I can speak for myself. I never required even an iota of courage to interpret the Constitution vs the UPDF Act as amended and to come out with the decisions which I made. No courage at all,” he said.
For Isaac Ssemakadde, “People said it was a stellar judgment,” he said. “But what did it turn around?” Has it been implemented?” he asked. “Why did he wait for us to strike, for us to bang the table, to issue a decision that lower courts had issued years earlier?” asked Ssemakadde.
The Chief Justice Emeritus, as he may soon be referred to, has again stated that one of the gravest things that may have happened during his tenure is the frosty relations between the Bar and the Bench.
His tenure was marked by tensions with the Uganda Law Society. Isaac Ssemakadde, former ULS President, raised concerns about delayed case dispositions, inconsistent trials, and administrative interference.
