The Chief Justice of the Republic of Uganda, His Lordship Flavian Zeija, has admonished students to embrace hard work with discipline and humility, emphasizing that their conduct while at school can significantly influence their future opportunities and career prospects.
Justice Zeija made the call on Sunday, October 18, 2026 during a thanksgiving ceremony at St. Mary’s College Rushoroza in Kabale District, held to celebrate his appointment as Chief Justice and honor him as an alumnus of the institution (Advanced Level, May 1991-March 1993). The event coincided with St. Mary’s Day, celebrated in honor of the school’s patron saint, and featured a fundraising drive to support the completion of a dining and multipurpose hall.
Addressing the students, the Chief Justice challenged them to abandon excuses for poor academic performance, drawing on his personal experiences at the school to demonstrate how determination, hard work and sacrifice can help overcome difficult circumstances.
He recalled that during his time at the institution, transport was limited, and students who missed the only bus plying their route sometimes had to walk approximately 60 kms to reach the nearest tarmac road. Others travelled on pickup trucks before carrying their luggage on their heads from their drop-off points to the school.
“You may look at us and think perhaps we were born with a silver spoon. To the contrary, no. Our journey was not as smooth as yours, perhaps. For us, we were born in the village. At the time, there was only one bus plying the route, so if it left you, you had to walk 60 kms to the tarmac,” he said.
Justice Zeija also recounted the challenges students faced in accessing learning materials, noting that his class had only one Economics textbook, which they had to share. He attributed his achievements to hard work, determination and sacrifice, urging the current generation of students to take full advantage of the educational resources and opportunities available to them.
“So, how did we move up to where we are today? It was through hard work, determination and sacrifice. Today, you cannot have an excuse for not excelling. It is not there,” he said.
The Chief Justice further cautioned students against indiscipline, revealing that his conduct while at St. Mary’s College Rushoroza was investigated during the process leading to his appointment as a High Court judge.
When I was being appointed a Judge of the High Court, a team was sent at St. Mary’s College Rushoroza here to find out how I was behaving at school. Now, assuming the headmaster had said that the fellow was a thug when he was here, I would never have become a Judge – Chief Justice Flavian Zeija.
He urged students to maintain good conduct, remain humble and avoid developing a sense of self-importance, reminding them that life beyond school brings different opportunities but with different responsibilities and challenges.
Justice Zeija also commended the school’s alumni for their continued contribution to the institution’s development. He recalled their efforts to mobilize resources to improve the school’s infrastructure, particularly after students had been forced to eat in a makeshift dining facility. He laid the foundation stone on the dining hall under construction.
“Let’s continue supporting our school, let each of us know that this is where we derive our livelihood, which we are earning today,” he said.
He thanked the school administration for organizing the thanksgiving ceremony, explaining that a similar celebration had been planned when he was elevated from Principal Judge to Deputy Chief Justice but could not take place because of official assignments within and outside the country.
Bigirimana Calls on Parents to Invest in Children’s Character
In his keynote address, the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Judiciary, Dr. Pius Bigirimana, commended St. Mary’s College Rushoroza for shaping generations of Ugandans, including the Chief Justice.
Dr. Bigirimana challenged parents and guardians to go beyond providing school fees, uniforms, food and shelter by investing in their children’s character, values, discipline and emotional development.
He observed that material support alone was insufficient to prepare young people for responsible citizenship, emphasizing that parents must lead by example in teaching integrity, respect and discipline.
“Are we spending enough time with our children? Are we modelling the values we wanted them to adopt? Are we teaching them integrity by being honest? Are we teaching them respect by being respectful ourselves? Are we teaching them discipline by being disciplined ourselves, or are we so busy working for them that we have forgotten to work on them?” he asked.
He called for collective efforts by families, schools, the Church, government and communities to nurture responsible citizens, stressing that teachers have a central role to play in developing both academic excellence and good character.
Dr. Bigirimana also pledged an additional contribution towards the completion of the school’s dining hall.
School Seeks Support to Expand Infrastructure
The Head Teacher of St. Mary’s College Rushoroza, Mr. Christopher Monday, congratulated the His Lordship Flavian Zeija upon his appointment as Chief Justice of Uganda and thanked him for his spirit of generosity to support his former school. He appealed to the government, parents, alumni and other well-wishers to support the expansion of the school’s infrastructure to accommodate its growing student population, which has surpassed 1,700 learners.
Monday said the increasing enrolment reflected parents’ confidence in the school’s academic standards, discipline and commitment to nurturing students with strong moral and religious values. However, he noted that the growth had increased demand for additional classrooms, dormitories, sanitation facilities and other essential services needed to provide a safe and conducive learning environment.
He commended the government for providing financial support towards the construction of a new dining hall, noting that the facility would improve students’ welfare and serve additional purposes, including functioning as a chapel and an exhibition venue.
The project is valued at about Shs. 800 million and includes furniture, landscaping, external works, underground water tanks and an electric cooking facility for Home Management students. Monday said the school hoped to have the facility ready for use within five months, subject to the availability of the remaining funds.
Bishop Gubazire Emphasizes Justice and the Rule of Law
In his remarks, the Bishop of Kabale Diocese, Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire, underscored the importance of justice, protection of the common good and respect for the rule of law as essential pillars for building a peaceful and orderly Uganda.
Bishop Gubazire commended the organizing committee for its dedication and sacrifice in ensuring the success of the celebration. He also applauded the school administration, teachers, non-teaching staff, students, parents and other stakeholders for their collective contribution to the institution’s achievements.
Describing the school community as the driving force behind the institution’s success, the Bishop noted that St. Mary’s College Rushoroza ranks among Uganda’s best-performing schools academically.
“You should feel proud as students of SMACO,” he said, urging the learners to value their association with the institution and appreciate the efforts of everyone contributing to its success.
The thanksgiving ceremony raised more than Shs. 188 million, 200 bags of cement, 200 bags of terrazzo and 52 buckets of paint towards the school’s development initiatives, including the completion of the dining and multipurpose hall.