The Chief Justice, Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny Dollo, has appointed Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga as the Acting Principal Judge.
The appointment follows the elevation of Justice Dr. Flavian Zeija to the position of Deputy Chief Justice.
In a statement released on Thursday by the Judiciary, as Acting Principal Judge, Lady Justice Okuo Kajuga will support the Chief Justice in the continued delivery of justice and in ensuring the efficient administration and management of the High Court and subordinate courts across the country, until a substantive Principal Judge is appointed.
The Chief Justice congratulated the new Acting Principal Judge and wished her success in her new assignment. He reaffirmed the Judiciary’s commitment to strengthening institutional leadership and improving access to justice for all.
Lady Justice Okuo Kajuga was appointed a Judge of the High Court in 2019 and deployed at the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, where she is the current Deputy Head. She has handled complex and high-profile corruption cases with diligence, commitment and integrity, according to the Statement from the Judiciary.
Some of these cases include the Karamoja iron sheets scandal where she is trying Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Amos Lugoloobi, and Former Karamoja Affairs State Minister, Agnes Nandutu, over their involvement in the scandal, which they reportedly diverted iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people of Karamoja to themselves.
In 2020, Kajuga was assigned the role of Focal Judge for Plea Bargain in the Judiciary, and has since then successfully coordinated and overseen its implementation countrywide.
The Judiciary indicates that the Plea Bargain programme has greatly transformed the criminal justice landscape through expeditious, cost-effective and participatory resolution of criminal matters.
Judiciary adds that Kajuga is a key player in the promotion of Alternative Dispute Resolution and is a court-accredited mediator attached to the Family Division of the High Court.
Before joining the Bench, she worked with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for 20 years, where she rose through the ranks from the position of State Attorney to Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions in charge of International Cooperation, Extraditions and Mutual Legal Assistance.
“She had a stellar record with numerous high-profile prosecutions to her name. She was also the first spokesperson of the ODPP for over 14 years, a role she performed effectively”, reads the statement.
On Wednesday, Dr Flavian Zeija was sworn in as the new Deputy Chief Justice to replace Justice Richard Buteera, who retired on April 9th 2025, after clocking 70 years.
President Museveni appoints a substantive Principal Judge, in line with consultations from the Judicial Service Commission, a statutory body charged with the recruitment and regulation of conduct for all judicial officers.
English 