President Yoweri Museveni has nominated Justice Jane Frances Abodo, the current Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), to become Uganda’s next Principal Judge, a senior judicial office responsible for case management across the High Court and magistrates’ courts.
Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Farouk Kirunda confirmed on Saturday that a letter circulating on social media about Abodo’s appointment was authentic, noting that her name has already been forwarded to Parliament for vetting.
“I congratulate her,” Kirunda said in a statement.
If approved, Justice Abodo will replace Justice Flavian Zeija, who was elevated in February to the position of Deputy Chief Justice. The Principal Judge ranks third in the judiciary after the Chief Justice and Deputy Chief Justice, with wide-ranging responsibilities for court administration and efficiency.
Trailblazing Career
At 46, Abodo is on course to become the first woman to hold the Principal Judge’s office. She hails from the Karamoja sub-region and holds a law degree from Makerere University, a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre, and a Master of Laws from Trinity College Dublin.
She joined the Office of the DPP in 2007, rising from trainee state attorney to head of the Anti-Corruption Desk, where she earned one of the highest conviction rates in the country. In 2015, she was named Best Prosecutor by the Uganda Law Society.
In 2018, she was appointed to the High Court’s Criminal Division and, two years later, President Museveni elevated her to Director of Public Prosecutions. Under her leadership, the ODPP secured Uganda’s first war crimes conviction against a former Lord’s Resistance Army commander and achieved conviction rates above 90 percent in anti-corruption cases.
Justice Zeija, whom she is set to succeed, served as Principal Judge from December 2019 before his promotion to Deputy Chief Justice. An academic and lawyer, he previously lectured at Makerere University and holds advanced degrees in law and business administration.
Judiciary Under Pressure
Abodo’s nomination comes at a time when Uganda’s courts are under pressure to tackle huge case backlogs and curb corruption. Judicial reforms remain a top government priority, with the Principal Judge expected to play a critical role in driving efficiency and accountability across the justice system.
