By Mulengera Reporters
Flavian Zeija must have been born with a silver spoon in his mouth. This is so because, even when he is relatively a new actor on the bench, each time he has desired or applied for a position, he seems to get it very easily.
This is partly because the appointing authority who is the President has a special liking for him to the extent that in most cases when he travels with fellow judicial officers for State House engagements, the big man always creates quality time to have exclusive interactions with him.
Gen Museveni often gets hold of Dr. Zeija’s hand and walks back with him (after the photo sessions) for private talks after seeing off the other judiciary giants. As others drive back to Kampala, Zeija remains in Entebbe having private discussions with the President.
A former commercial law lecturer at Makerere University Business School (MUBS), Zeija became a High Court Judge deployed upcountry from where he was accelerated to the position of PJ, to replace the legendary Yerokam Bamwine, at the time not many expected that. As PJ, he has been heading the High Court and has even been having supervisory powers over Magistrate Courts.
After serving as PJ for a few years, Zeija was recently made the Deputy Chief Justice replacing Richard Buteera. To get this job, Zeija competed at the JSC interviews with and beat more formidable competitors like Henry Adonyo, Catherine Bamugemereire, Monica Mugyenyi and Godfrey Kiryabwire.
These are all more senior colleagues and have been at the bench for much longer than Zeija who also benefited from the clout and administrative experience that comes with being Principal Judge. Yet from being DCJ, there are high chances of him becoming Chief Justice.
This is so because this amiable Judge from Rukungiri is just 54 years. He has 16 years to go before clocking the mandatory retirement age of 70 years. He can do two terms as DCJ each of 4 years and another two terms each of 4 years as CJ before clocking 70 where after he can go home to play with his grandchildren. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
