President Museveni Appoints Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi as Deputy Chief Justice

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni announced the appointment of Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi as Uganda's new Deputy Chief Justice. Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi replaces Flavian Zeija, who was elevated to the position of Chief Justice three months before 15 May 2026. The appointment was announced on or before 15 May 2026.

Born on August 22, 1963, Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University. He secured a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre between 1987 and 1988. Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi later earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Management and a Master's Degree in Management Studies from the Uganda Management Institute.

Called to the Bar in 1989, Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi worked as a Legal Associate at Kawanga & Kasule Advocates. Between 1992 and 1998 he served as Project Advocate, Senior Project Advocate and Deputy Director at the Legal Aid Project of the Uganda Law Society.

There he represented indigent clients, took part in Alternative Dispute Resolution initiatives and ran human rights and legal education programmes.

Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi joined the Uganda Revenue Authority in 1998. He rose from Principal Revenue Officer (Legal) to Assistant Commissioner in Charge of Litigation. He occasionally acted as Commissioner Legal Services and Board Affairs, served as Legal Counsel to the Management Disciplinary Committee and acted as Secretary to the Board Sub-Committee on Human Resources between 2009 and 2011.

He left the Uganda Revenue Authority in 2011 and became Managing Partner of Kazibwe-Kawumi & Company Advocates. His private practice focused on commercial law, land law and taxation.

Appointed Judge of the High Court of Uganda in April 2016, Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi served as Resident Judge at the Kabale High Court Circuit until October 2022. He later served at the Mubende High Court Circuit between October 2022 and April 2024. While at Mubende he prepared a report that led to the establishment of a High Court Circuit in Kiboga.

In April 2024, Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi was elevated to the Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court. He is a member of the Judiciary Law Reform Committee and an accredited Court Annexed Mediator. His judicial career spans more than three decades.

AllAfrica reported that the decision elevated a legal mind whose career has steadily traversed nearly every layer of Uganda's justice system. The appointment crowns a journey marked by service in private practice, legal aid, academia, public administration and the Judiciary.