When President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni announced the appointment of Justice Moses Kazibwe Kawumi as Uganda’s new Deputy Chief Justice, the decision elevated a legal mind whose career has steadily traversed nearly every layer of Uganda’s justice system.
Justice Kazibwe replaces Flavian Zeija, his judiciary intake colleague who was elevated to the position of Chief Justice three months ago. His appointment crowns a legal and judicial journey spanning more than three decades, marked by service in private practice, legal aid, academia, public administration and the Judiciary.
Born on August 22, 1963, Justice Kazibwe’s path into law began at Makerere University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree before proceeding to the Law Development Centre for a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice between 1987 and 1988. His academic pursuit later expanded into management studies at Uganda Management Institute, where he earned both a Postgraduate Diploma in Management and a Master’s Degree in Management Studies.
Called to the Bar in 1989, Justice Kazibwe began his professional journey as a Legal Associate at Kawanga & Kasule Advocates. There, he handled litigation, drafted legal instruments and advised both individual and institutional clients. The role exposed him to the demanding realities of courtroom advocacy and legal consultancy at a formative stage of his career.
His passion for justice later drew him into public-interest legal work at the Legal Aid Project of the Uganda Law Society. Between 1992 and 1998, he served first as Project Advocate and later as Senior Project Advocate and Deputy Director. During this period, he represented indigent clients, participated in Alternative Dispute Resolution initiatives and conducted human rights and legal education programmes.
The experience at legal aid would become a defining foundation in his approach to justice, balancing legal procedure with access to justice for ordinary citizens. In 1998, Justice Kazibwe joined the Uganda Revenue Authority, where he built an extensive career in public sector legal service that lasted more than a decade.
Rising through the ranks from Principal Revenue Officer (Legal) to Assistant Commissioner in Charge of Litigation, he became one of the institution’s key legal administrators. At URA, he supervised teams of in-house lawyers and support staff, occasionally acted as Commissioner Legal Services and Board Affairs, and served as Legal Counsel to the Management Disciplinary Committee.
He also served as Secretary to the Board Sub-Committee on Human Resources between 2009 and 2011. Among his notable contributions was leading the litigation division to a reported 75 percent success rate while spearheading the implementation of an Alternative Dispute Resolution strategy that significantly reduced litigation costs for the Authority.
After leaving URA in 2011, Justice Kazibwe returned to private legal practice as Managing Partner of Kazibwe-Kawumi & Company Advocates. His work focused largely on commercial law, land law and taxation, while also offering consultancy services connected to institutional and infrastructure-related assignments.
His transition to the Bench came in April 2016, when he was appointed Judge of the High Court of Uganda. Posted to the Kabale High Court Circuit as Resident Judge, he oversaw judicial administration in the region until October 2022. During his tenure, he supervised the migration of files and facilitated the operationalisation of the Rukungiri High Court Circuit.
He later served at the Mubende High Court Circuit between October 2022 and April 2024. While there, he prepared a report that informed Judiciary Management’s decision to establish a High Court Circuit in Kiboga — a move seen as critical in expanding access to justice. In April 2024, Justice Kazibwe was elevated to the Court of Appeal and Constitutional Court, where he has since served as a Justice of Appeal.
Beyond adjudication, he has remained active in legal reform and mediation. He is a member of the Judiciary Law Reform Committee and also serves as an accredited Court Annexed Mediator, conducting mediation proceedings aimed at easing case backlog and promoting amicable settlement of disputes.
Justice Kazibwe’s contribution has also extended into academia. From 1989 to 1996, he served as an Assistant Lecturer at the Law Development Centre before later teaching part-time at Uganda Christian University between 2003 and 2012.
Over the years, he has undertaken professional training in management, communication, trade law, tax policy, legislative drafting, change management, development law and social justice — experiences that have shaped both his administrative and judicial outlook.
Away from the courtroom, Justice Kazibwe is involved in community and faith-based initiatives. He serves as an advisor to Grace Villa Limited, a Kabale-based non-profit organisation supporting disadvantaged girls through education sponsorship and shelter.
Now stepping into the office of Deputy Chief Justice, Justice Kazibwe brings with him decades of courtroom experience, administrative leadership and legal scholarship — qualities that place him among the most seasoned judicial officers in Uganda’s contemporary legal landscape-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
