Justice Douglas Singiza Karekona is the new Chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission following his appointment by President Yoweri Museveni. He replaces Justice Benjamin Kabito, who has led the commission since September 2016.
Anonymous sources indicate that Justice Singiza has already made familiarization tours at the Judicial Service Commission and has been introduced to the staff. His appointment follows the expiration of the term of the Benjamin Kabito-led commission on January 21st, 2025, which left a leadership vacuum in the institution responsible for appointing and regulating judicial officers in the country. Kabito had previously succeeded Justice James Ogoola.
Justice Singiza, 56, gained prominence while presiding over the offensive communication case against novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija. Kakwenza, who was granted bail, later fled to Europe and has since accused the judge of professional misconduct for remanding him despite visible signs of torture, allegedly inflicted by state operatives, and for declining to return his passport to allow him to seek medical treatment abroad.
He also drew public attention after presiding over unsuccessful applications seeking the release of jailed opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye, Obeid Lutaale, and their lawyer Eron Kiiza. The judge dismissed both applications, leading to criticism and insults from Besigye’s supporters, some of whom labeled him a “Nazi-Judge”—a characterization Singiza has strongly condemned.
Before he was appointed Acting Judge of the High Court, Singiza served as Chief Magistrate at Buganda Road Court, having previously worked at Nakawa Chief Magistrates Court. He holds a PhD in Public Law from the University of Western Cape, South Africa, a Master’s Degree in Human Rights and Democratization from the University of Pretoria, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Makerere University, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre in Kampala.
In 2016, Justice Singiza was the Secretary to the Commission of Inquiry into Land Matters, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Catherine Bamugemereire. More recently, in August 2024, as a High Court Judge, he ruled that the service award of 500 million shillings to the former Leader of Opposition Mathias Mpuuga and 400 million Shillings each to three other commissioners was lawful. He based his decision on the fact that the award was approved by Parliament and was part of the budget presented by the Executive.