#1: Kiryowa Kiwanuka- Incumbent
Kiryowa is one of Uganda’s finest lawyers, who has been severally highly rated by both the IFLR1000 and Chambers and Partners two of the world’s renowned legal rating agencies.
He is rated for proficiency in especially energy law, banking and finance, and mergers and acquisitions amongst many commercial law practices.
He is one of the founding partners of K&K Advocates (formerly Kiryowa & Karugire Advocates) in October 2001. The law firm itself has also been severally rated highly by the Chambers and Partners, as well as IFLR1000 and Legal 500.
A member of the Uganda Law Society and the East Africa Law Society, Kiryowa, holds a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University; Master of Laws in Petroleum Law and Policy from the University of Dundee, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from Uganda’s Law Development Centre. He has practiced law for over 23 years.
The outgoing Attorney General, William Byaruhanga, was appointed on 6th June 2016.
In the past, the office of the Attorney General was combined with the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (Uganda), with one cabinet minister serving both functions. Later, the two portfolios were de-coupled and two separate cabinet ministers were appointed.
#2: William Byaruhanga (2016 – 2021)
William Byaruhanga is a Ugandan lawyer and businessman. He is the outgoing Attorney General of Uganda and a member of the Ugandan cabinet. He was appointed to that position on 6 June 2016, replacing Fred Ruhindi, who was dropped from the cabinet in 2016.
William Byaruhanga graduated from Makerere University, with a Bachelor of Laws. He then attended the Law Development Centre, graduating with a Diploma in Legal Practice. He was admitted to the Uganda Bar in 1988.
Prior to his ministerial appointment, Byaruhanga was the Principal Partner of Kasirye, Byaruhanga and Company Advocates, a privately owned Kampala law firm. On 6th June 2016, he was appointed as Attorney General of Uganda.
William Byaruhanga, amongst other roles, serves on the board of directors of Centum Investments, since October 2016.
#3: Fred Ruhindi (2015 – 2016)
Fredrick Ruhindi is a Ugandan lawyer and politician. He was Uganda’s Attorney General from 1st March 2015 to 2016. Between 2nd June 2006 and 28th February 2015, he served as the state minister for Justice & Constitutional Affairs in the Ugandan cabinet. He served in that capacity since 2006. In the cabinet reshuffle of 16 February 2009, and that of 27 May 2011, he retained his cabinet post. He has also served as an elected Member of Parliament representing Nakawa Division in Kampala District.
For a period of eleven years, between 1981 until 1992, Fred Ruhindi worked as a State Attorney, in the Ministry of Justice & Constitutional Affairs. He was then transferred to the Uganda Investment Authority, where he served as Corporation Secretary, from 1992 until 1999. He entered politics in 2001 and was elected to parliament to represent Nakawa Division in Kampala District. He was re-elected in 2006. He has served as State Minister for Justice & Constitutional Affairs since 2006. From June 2006 until February 2015, he also served as the Deputy Attorney General of Uganda. In a cabinet reshuffle on 1 March 2015, he was appointed the Attorney General of Uganda.
#4: Peter Nyombi (2011 – 2015)
Peter Nyombi (23 April 1954 – 7 October 2018) was a Ugandan lawyer and politician. He was an Attorney General and member of the Ugandan Cabinet, appointed on 27 May 2011. He replaced Kiddu Makubuya who became Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Peter Nyombi died on 7th October 2018 (aged 64).
#5: Kiddu Makubuya (2005 – 2011)
Kiddu Makubuya is a Ugandan lawyer, politician, and academic. He is the former Attorney General in Uganda’s cabinet from 2005 to 2011 and also served as Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister. He was appointed to that position on 27th May 2011, replacing Janat Mukwaya who retired from elective politics.
#6: Amama Mbabazi (2004 – 2006)
Patrick Amama Mbabazi was born on 16th January 1949 Mbabazi earned a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University. He received a postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center in Kampala. He is an Advocate of the Courts of Judicature of Uganda and has been a member of the Uganda Law Society since 1977.
He is a politician who served as Uganda’s ninth Prime Minister from 24 May 2011 to 19 September 2014. He played an instrumental role in Uganda’s protracted liberation struggle from several tyrannical governments (1972-1986) and is a founding member of the National Resistance Movement, the ruling political party in Uganda.
Mbabazi served as the Member of Parliament for the Kinkiizi West constituency in Kanungu District, a position he held from 1996 until 2016, when he ran unsuccessfully for the Presidency.
#7: Francis Ayume (2001 to 2004)
The Late Francis Joash Ayume was a renowned lawyer and golfer who, at the time of his death was the Attorney General of Uganda. A well-traveled and respected jurist, Ayume was known in many legal circles across the Commonwealth and beyond.
He went through various schools and institutions of higher learning until he obtained a Law Degree from the University Colleague of Dar-es-Salaam of the then, University of East Africa.
Inside Uganda’s Property Market: Broll Uganda’s Moses Lutalo on Sector Realities and the Signals Investors Can’t IgnoreAyume held various positions in Government as a civil servant including that of Solicitor General during which he was part-time Lecturer at Makerere University Faculty of Law and the Law Development Centre in Kampala.
It was not until 1994 when Ayume developed interest in active politics after retiring from the Civil Service of Uganda that he contested for the Constituent Assembly elections in 1995 as well as the Chairmanship of the Constituent Assembly.
However, in 1996, the people of Koboko sent Ayume to represent them in Parliament, an opportunity that earned him several positions in government.
#8: Bart Magunda Katureebe (1996 to 2001)
Bart Magunda Katureebe is a Ugandan judge and the former Chief Justice of Uganda. He was appointed to that position on 5 March 2015. Before that, he was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda.
From 1975 until 1983, Katureebe worked as a state attorney in the Ministry of Justice. From 1983 until 1988, he practiced law in a private setting. From 1988 until 1991, he served as the deputy minister for regional cooperation, then deputy minister of industry and technology (1991 to 1992), and State Minister for Health and a member of the National Resistance Council, a legislative body at that time (1992 to 1996). From 1994 until 1995, he was the elected member of the Constituent Assembly representing Bunyaruguru County, Rubirizi District. From 1996 until 2001, he served as the minister of justice, constitutional affairs and Attorney General. He went back to private practice in 2001, becoming one of the founding partners of Kampala Associated Advocates. Chambers Global named him one of Uganda’s leading lawyers in 2004 and he also served as Board Chairman of the Vision Group (a media company) and served on the Standard Chartered Bank Uganda Limited’s Board of Directors. He was appointed a justice of the Supreme Court in 2005. On 5 March 2015, he was appointed chief justice. On 20 June 2020, he marked his last day in office as Chief justice of the Republic of Uganda and hand handed over to his Deputy Alfonse Owiny-Dollo to be the Acting Chief Justice. On December 8, 2020 he was appointed as a member of the International Commercial Expert Committee of the Supreme Court of the People’s Republic of China for on a four-year contract, which runs to December 8, 2024.
#9: Joseph Kalias Ekemu (1994 to 1996)
Joseph Kalias Ekemu (born September 5, 1944) is a retired Attorney General of Uganda, lawmaker, and statesman. He served as Uganda’s Justice Minister from 1994 to 1996. Ekemu was once a member representing Kaberamaido District and was a committee member in the NRC.
#10: Abu Mayanja (1991 to 1994)
The Late Abubaker Kakyama Mayanja (August 1929 – 4 November 2005) was the first Secretary General of the Uganda National Congress, the first political party in Uganda set up on 6 March 1952 by Ignatius K Musaazi. He became the Secretary General of the UNC in his youth and while an undergraduate student at Makerere University College, which later became Makerere University. Abu Mayanja helped Musaazi draft the Constitution of the Uganda National Congress party. Abu was a fighter for independence in Uganda and Africa, a strong parliamentarian and one who disliked injustice. He contributed greatly to the political life of Uganda as a constitutional expert, formidable parliamentarian, government minister at various times, and as an excellent Barrister in private practice. His written contributions in the Tribune magazine, Transition, Uganda Argus and New Vision newspapers were always well received and much respected.
#11: George William Kanyeihamba (1988 to 1991)
George W. Kanyeihamba is a Ugandan author, a retired supreme court Judge, former cabinet minister, Member of Parliament and was a chair of the Legal Committee of the Constituent Assembly that made the 1995 Constitution. He was appointed a member of the Supreme Court of Uganda in 1997 and retired in November 2009.
#12: Joseph Mulenga (1986 to 1988)
Joseph Nyamihana Mulenga was a Ugandan judge. He also served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda for twelve years between 1997 and 2009 and was a judge and later President of the East African Court of Justice. Mulenga died in August 2012.
#13: Sam Kutesa (1985 – 1986)
Sam Kahamba Kutesa (born 1 February 1949) is a Ugandan businessman, politician and lawyer. He has also served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet of Uganda, a position he has held since 13th January 2005 and maintained through three cabinet reshuffles. He has also served as an elected Member of Parliament for Mawogola County in Sembabule District.
#14: Stephen Amoding Ariko (1979 to 1985)
The late Stephen Amoding Ariko served as a Member of Parliament and Minister of Justice and Attorney General in the Milton Obote II UPC Government between 1980-1985
#15: George William Kanyeihamba (1979)
George W. Kanyeihamba is a Ugandan author, a retired supreme court Judge, former cabinet minister, Member of Parliament and was a chair of the Legal Committee of the Constituent Assembly that made the 1995 Constitution. He was appointed a member of the Supreme Court of Uganda in 1997 he retired in November 2009.
#16: Mathia Bazitya Matovu (1977 to 1979)
One of Uganda’s earliest lawyers, he was a partner in Mugerwa and Matovu the legacy firm that birthed the present-day MMAKS Advocates. He died in 1990.
He went to school at St. Mary’s College Kisubi (SMACK), class of 56.
#17: Godfrey Sserunkuuma Lule (1974 to 1977)
Godfrey Sserunkuuma Lule (Born 10 September 1932) is a Ugandan lawyer. Trained as a lawyer, he was Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of Uganda for Idi Amin and defected, becoming a prominent international critic of Amin.
#18: Peter James Nkambo Mugerwa 1971 to 1974
Peter James Nkambo Mugerwa (10 January 1933 – 10 November 2020) was a prominent Ugandan lawyer. He served as Uganda’s Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs under President Idi Amin from 1971 to 1974.
#19: Lameck Lubowa (1967 to 1971)
#20: Godfrey Binaisa (1962 to 1967)
Godfrey Lukongwa Binaisa QC (30 May 1920 – 5 August 2010) was a Ugandan lawyer who was Attorney General of Uganda from 1962 to 1967 and later served as President of Uganda from June 1979 to May 1980. At his death, he was Uganda’s only surviving former President. He died on 5th August 2010 (aged 90).
Attorneys General of Uganda (Before independence in 1962)
- Kavuma Jonathan: 1951 to 196
- Sir Guy Wilmot McLintock Henderson: 1948 to 1951
- James Reali Gregg: 1943 to 1947
- Major-General Sir Ralph Hone: 1937 to 1943
- Neville Harry Turton: 1933 to 1936
- Sir Kenneth Elliston Poyser: 1928 to 1933
- Sir Sidney Solomon Abrahams: 1925 to 1928
- Hon. Alan Frederick Hogg: 1918 to 1924
- Sir Donald Kingdon: 1912 to 1918
- Sir Alison Russell: 1906 to 1912
