Owiny-Dollo honoured as Judiciary reflects on Kiwanuka’s legacy

What the report says

Uganda’s Judiciary has honoured Chief Justice Emeritus Alfonse Owiny-Dollo for his contribution to the institution, with recognition focused on efforts during his tenure to enlarge the judicial workforce and encourage alternative dispute resolution. The acknowledgment came during the ninth Benedicto Kiwanuka Memorial Lecture, an event that commemorates Uganda’s first Chief Justice and his role in defending the rule of law.

Nile Post reports that the tribute linked Owiny-Dollo’s leadership to a series of institutional changes, including increases in the number of High Court judges, chief magistrates and grade one magistrates. He was also credited with promoting alternative dispute resolution as a way to improve access to justice and reduce reliance on lengthy court processes. The report says he helped launch the African Chief Justices’ Alternative Dispute Resolution Forum and served as its first chairperson.

The memorial lecture also revisited Benedicto Kiwanuka’s legacy, particularly his resistance to military interference in judicial affairs before his disappearance in 1972. That history remains a reference point in Uganda’s debates about judicial independence. According to the article, officials used the occasion to call on judges and other legal officers to strengthen public access to justice and protect the rule of law.

Nile Post further notes that Owiny-Dollo’s tenure included involvement in several high-profile cases and that he retired as Chief Justice in January 2026. The recognition places his record within a wider reflection on how Uganda’s courts have evolved since Kiwanuka’s era.