President Yoweri Museveni has appointed Justice Alphonse Owiny-Dollo as Deputy Chief Justice.
The move effectively marks the end of Justice Steven Kavuma’s reign as the second most powerful man in the judiciary.
The president’s decision comes against the backdrop of growing public unease over Kavuma’s conduct.
Many saw Kavuma’s rulings as biased and consistently in favour of the ruling government.
In the judiciary, high ranking officials quietly expressed their disgust at the manner in which Kavuma was running his office.
“In the exercise of powers vested in the president by Article 142 (I) of the 1995 Constitution, I have acting on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, appointed persons listed below as Deputy Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court,” Museveni said in his letter to the Speaker of Parliament, dated August 18.
The President also appointed Justices Richard Butera and Paul Mugamba to the Supreme Court.
The appointees need Parliamentary approval to assume the new positions.
Kavuma had sought to extend his contract by editing his age, a move that was firmly rejected.