KAMPALA — The Principal Judge Dr Flavian Zeja survived as assassination attempt on Masaka Road, the judiciary has said in a statement.
A judiciary statement released Sunday afternoon indicated that incident occurred on Saturday evening at about 7:00pm along the Kampala-Masaka highway, when unknown gunmen shot at his convoy.
“The Judiciary has learnt with dismay of a gun attack on the Hon. the Principal Judge Dr Flavian Zeja, that occurred on Saturday evening at about 7:00pm along the Kampala-Masaka highway, when unknown gunmen shot at his convoy,” Mr. Jamson Karemani, the Judiciary Public Relations Officer said in a statement.
Karemani said the Principal Judge and his entire team escaped unhurt from the incident.
“The Judiciary condemns in the strongest terms such barbaric conduct whose intentions are only known to those who engage in such acts of unlawfulness. This was an act of cowardice and we are confident that the perpetrators shall at an appropriate time be brought to book,” Karemani said.
He implored the public to remain calm as the responsible authorities undertake their investigative role.
Uganda Police Force has commenced investigations into the incident.
In Uganda, a Principal Judge is responsible for supervising the justices of the High Court, including the assignment of duties to members of the Court.
The Principal Judge is also responsible for supervising the Magistrates Courts below the High Court.
In his capacity as the Principal Judge, Justice Flavian Zeija is the third-highest ranking judicial officer in the country.
The top five judicial officers are ranked as follows: 1. the Chief Justice of Uganda 2. the Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda 3. the Principal Judge 4. the Secretary to the Judiciary and 5. the Chief Registrar.
He was born in Uganda on 18 February 1969. He attended local elementary and secondary schools. In 1993, he was admitted to Makerere University, the oldest and largest public university in Uganda.
He graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Laws degree. The following year, he obtained a postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in Kampala.
In 1999, he returned to Makerere University and was admitted to the Master’s program in Law. He graduated with a Master of Laws degree in 2002.
His degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Law, was awarded by the University of Dar es Salaam in 2013.
He also holds a Master of Business Administration degree, obtained from the Uganda Martyrs University, in 2018.
In addition, he is a member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of the United Kingdom, since 2012.
He has a wide experience as a practicing attorney. He started out in 1998, as a legal assistant with Kwesigabo, Bamwine, Walubiri & Company Advocates, a Kampala-based law firm. In the past, he worked at Tropical Africa Bank as manager legal and recovery, between 2002 and 2003.
He also worked at FINCA Uganda Limited as legal counsel.
At the time he was appointed to the High Court of Uganda, he served as the managing partner at Zeija, Mukasa & Company Advocates, another Kampala-based law firm.
In addition to practicing law, Flavian Zeija taught law at 1. Uganda Christian University 2. Makerere University and 3. Makerere University Business School (MUBS). At MUBS he served as the founding head of the department of Business Law.
