This mighty website can exclusively report that vibe at the Judicial Service Commission is high after law giant Justice professor Lillian Tibatemwa- Ekirikubinza, justice of the Supreme Court applied for the position of the next Chief Justice of Uganda once Justice Owiny Dollo clocks the 70 years retirement age.
Justice Tibatemwa’s application has complicated the chances of Justice Mike Chibita who is justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Dr Flavian Zeija the deputy Chief Justice and head of the Court of Appeal and the Constitutional Court and Justice Catherine Bamugemereire also a justice of the Supreme Court to take up the top job in the judiciary.
According to the observers who are closely monitoring the ongoing search for the next Chief Justice, Justice Chibita has been in the lead because of his history with the appointing authority who is the president of the land and Commander-in-Chief Yoweri Museveni.
Justice Chibita’s father was a close friend to President Museveni and actively participated in the political liberation struggle against President Milton Obote and Idi Amin governments which resulted into Museveni’s taking of power in 1986.
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Because of his historical relationship with Museveni, Chibita was appointed the chief State House legal officer before Museveni appointed him judge of the High Court. He later deployed him to the Office of the Director Public Prosecution after appointing him Justice of the Supreme Court in 2019
Justice Chibita is a Staunch Christian and one of the few independent judicial officers who stood his ground to declare that it was unconstitutional to prosecute civilians before the military court.
When he was commenting on the landmark judgement, Museveni praised him of sidelining with his government and givinng serious guidance on how to arrange the military court to fit in the modern laws of the country.
Justice Bamugemereire is also another potential candidate to replace Dollo because of her clean record. Bamugemereire has chaired a number of judicial probes including the KCCA, UNRA and Land probe and authored superb reporters which guided the president on how to clean these government institutions of corruption and bad governance.
However, observers noted that in the course of executing the appointing authority’s assignments, she stepped on many people’s toes including members of the Deep State and this is the reason why she previously lost the contest for position of Deputy Chief Justice and Chief Justice.
State House insiders told this website that Bamugemereire was promoted to the Supreme Court because of Museveni’s power after he realised that within his government, there are forces which are fighting her as a person and her family.
Bamugemereire is a staunch Christian and a friend to the First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni, first deputy prime minister Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga and when she was attending a book Launch in Kampala last week, she was introduced as the incoming Chief Justice and was praised by people including Museveni’s son-in-law Odrek Rwabwogo
Justice Zeija is another potential candidate in the race with many observers claiming that his speedy promotion in the judiciary is one of the telling signs that he is being prepared to handle serious work for the big man in the judiciary.
Insiders claim that Justice Zeija ‘s closeness to the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka and city prominent commercial lawyer Edwin Karugire who is also Museveni’s son-in-law, Justice Zeija gives him more points in the race.
However, insiders see professor Tibatemwa as a candidate who complicates the race because of her closeness to the First Family. He was very instrumental in silencing Augustine Ruzindana’s campaigning team in Ruhama county where he was contesting against Janet Museveni
Ruzindana was spreading malicious campaign against Janet that she doesn’t have the required education qualifications for someone to contest as Member of Parliament (MP), Museveni assigned Justice Tibatemwa who was then a senior lecture and administrator at Makerere university to assure voters that his wife has the required papers to represent them in parliament which led to her winning the election.
Being the senior judge at the Supreme Court, Justice Dollo appointed Justice Tibatemwa as the Supreme Court administrator replacing Justice Stella Arach Amoko who died when she was still serving judge.
Justice Tibatemwa is known as an independent judge who doesn’t involve in other people’s wars and was among those who remained independent in the Justice Dollo, Justice Esther Kisakye Kitimbo fight. She was not happy when Dollo dropped her as the Supreme Court administrator and replaced her with Justice Amoko who was a junior to her.
Justice Dollo recently said that it is likely that the next Chief Justice is going to be a lady. He advised senior female judges to handle themselves with care and respect so as to capture the appointing authority’s eye.
Justice Dollo is retiring in January 2026 and it is not clear whether he will preside over the presidential election petition if any is filed as a result of the presidential elections as it was in 2021.
