Uganda is in mourning following the death of Prof. George Wilson Kanyeihamba, a towering figure in the country’s legal and political circles. The retired Supreme Court judge, renowned author, and constitutional law expert passed away on Monday at the age of 85.
Born in 1939 in Kinaba, Kinkizi District, Prof. Kanyeihamba rose from modest beginnings to become one
of Uganda’s most respected legal minds. He was a key architect of Uganda’s 1995 Constitution, serving
as Chairman of the Legal and Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly.
His illustrious career included service as Minister of Commerce, Minister of Justice, Attorney General, and later as a Supreme Court Judge — a position he held from 1997 until his retirement in 2009.
Prof. Kanyeihamba earned international recognition for his scholarly work and fearless judgments. In
2006, he was one of three Supreme Court justices who ruled that the re-election of President Yoweri
Museveni was marred by irregularities serious enough to be annulled. The verdict reportedly cost him
his seat on the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, a loss widely attributed to his
uncompromising stance on justice.
Aside from his judicial service, Prof. Kanyeihamba was a respected academic and prolific author,
publishing over 32 influential books and several journal articles on constitutional law, human rights, and
governance in Africa.
His works, including Constitutional Law and Government in Uganda and The Constitutional and Political History of Uganda, remain key reference texts in legal education across East Africa.
He also held several prominent positions, including Chancellor of Kampala International University and
Kabale University, Chairman of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, and Legal Advisor to the
President on Human Rights and International Affairs.
Prof. Kanyeihamba was known for speaking truth to power. He openly condemned the controversial 2005 armed raid on Uganda’s High Court premises by security operatives, describing it as a direct attack on judicial independence.
He legally married his wife Susan Kanyeihamba in UK, and bore three children Sarah, Joel, Ruth, and adopted daughter Betty.
Government officials, legal practitioners, and political leaders have paid tribute to Prof. Kanyeihamba’s
legacy, describing him as a fearless patriot and defender of the rule of law.
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days as the nation prepares to bid farewell to a
man whose career left a lasting imprint on Uganda’s legal and civic life.
By Happy Aijuka