MPs express mixed reactions over Owiny Dollo’s appointment as chief justice

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The chairperson of the Legal and parliamentary affairs committee of parliament Jacob Oboth Oboth says Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo possesses the qualities that will enable him to excel in the office of chief justice.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Thursday appointed Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo as the new chief justice becoming the 13th chief justice since 1962 when Uganda got its independence.

Likewise, Supreme Court Judge Richard Buteera was appointed Deputy Chief Justice. The two names have since been sent to Parliament for vetting.

Oboth says Justice Owiny-Dollo deserves the office since he stands for the independence of the judiciary, welfare of the judicial officers and the rule of law.

Also welcoming the appointment is the Busiro East MP Medard Lubega Segona who says Owiny-Dollo comes with a level of experience that will help him avoid the mistakes of his predecessors.

This view is contrary to an opinion expressed by the Kawempe North MP Latif Sebaggala who believes that the appointment of Justice Owiny-Dollo is a reward for being a partisan judge favoring the executive.

He says dispensing of justice without political lenses that are biased against the opposition will not be possible under Justice Owiny-Dollo.

Justice Owiny-Dollo becomes the first Chief Justice to be elevated from the position of Deputy Chief Justice. The past Chief Justices were appointed from the Supreme Court bench.

As head of the constitutional court, Justice Owiny-Dollo presided over the Mbale ruling which upheld the controversial age limit constitutional amendment. The Constitutional court sitting in Mbale ruled against a petition that sought to quash an amendment of Article 102(b) which removed age restrictions for presidential candidates thus allowing president Museveni to be on the ballot in 2021.

James Acidri, the Maracha East MP says he has reservations about Justice Owiny-Dollo’s pronouncements especially after the age limit ruling.

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