Retired Chief Justice Owiny Dollo Asks Forgiveness as He Exits Judiciary
Retired Chief Justice Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny Dollo has publicly asked for forgiveness from anyone he offended during his five-year tenure as Uganda’s head of the judiciary. The request came during a farewell luncheon held in his honour at the Supreme Court Building on Thursday, January 22, 2026.
Owiny Dollo, who officially retired on January 18 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age of 70, stated in a judiciary release that “the future is bigger than today and bigger than yesterday.” He expressed his greatest professional satisfaction came from writing judgments, a task he said was limited by administrative duties. He thanked his colleagues, whom he described as “sisters and brothers,” and pledged to complete his pending judicial work.
The Emeritus Chief Justice outlined plans for retirement, including establishing an Alternative Dispute Resolution centre in Gulu to promote affordable justice through mediation. He also encouraged his former colleagues to learn from both his successes and his shortcomings.
Lady Justice Lillian Tibatemwa-Ekirikubinza, the Court Administrator, praised Owiny Dollo as a “cherished member of the Judiciary family” whose retirement comes while he remains a significant national figure.
His tenure, which began in August 2020, was marked by efforts to promote judicial reform and collegiality. However, it was also clouded by several controversies. These included the handling of the 2021 presidential election petition, which the opposition withdrew citing bias, and a major public rift with Supreme Court Justice Esther Kisakye. The conflict stemmed from the alleged confiscation of her minority ruling in the same election petition, which later led her to flee the country citing threats.
Justice Owiny Dollo also faced significant backlash in March 2022 for comments perceived as ethnically insensitive towards the Baganda, related to protests during the illness of former Speaker Jacob Oulanyah. He later apologised for those remarks in a meeting with Buganda Kingdom officials.
As he steps away from the bench, Owiny Dollo leaves behind a legacy of substantive judicial service and a call for reconciliation.
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