Uganda has lost one of its most eminent legal scholars and outspoken guardians of the Constitution.
Justice George Wilson Kanyeihamba, a retired Supreme Court Judge, renowned academic, human rights advocate, and constitutional lawyer, passed away on July 14th, 2025.
He leaves behind a monumental legacy spanning more than five decades in public service, jurisprudence, and thought leadership.
Born on August 11, 1939, in the rolling hills of Kinaba in Kinkizi District, Kanyeihamba was the eleventh and last child of Zakaliya Bafwokworora and Kyenda Malyamu Kyakundwa.
His early life was humble, shaped by the rhythms of rural Uganda and anchored in the values of discipline, faith, and education.
From small church-run primary schools to Kigezi High School and later Busoga College Mwiri, he quickly distinguished himself through brilliance and resolve.
That same resolve propelled him to the United Kingdom at a time when few Ugandans had the opportunity to study abroad.
He earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Portsmouth University, and later became one of the first Ugandans to obtain a Doctorate in Law from the University of Warwick.
Warwick would later bestow upon him an honorary LLD in 2008, recognizing his towering contributions to legal scholarship and public service.
But for Justice Kanyeihamba, the law was never just a career—it was a calling.
Whether in the lecture halls of Portsmouth College, Coventry University, or the University of Wales, or at Nsamizi Law School in Entebbe, he taught generations to believe in the transformative power of justice.
His was a life rooted in both theory and action.
When Uganda called, he returned home—not to rest, but to serve.
Over the years, Kanyeihamba occupied some of the most critical positions in public life: Attorney General, Minister of Commerce, Minister of Justice, and later, Justice of the Supreme Court.
But his defining moment came in 1995, when he chaired the Legal and Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly, shaping what many still regard as Uganda’s most progressive and people-centered Constitution.
In 1997, he ascended to the Supreme Court, where he remained until his retirement in 2009. On the bench, he was both scholar and crusader—meticulous in reasoning, bold in conviction.
Perhaps his most memorable stand was in 2006, when he joined two fellow justices in declaring that the re-election of President Yoweri Museveni had been so marred by fraud that it ought to be nullified.
It was a position that would cost him his seat at the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, but he never flinched. Principle, he believed, was more important than position.
He was a constant thorn in the side of those who abused power.
When armed security personnel invaded the High Court to rearrest suspects released on bail, Kanyeihamba was among the first to condemn it, calling it a desecration of judicial independence.
His voice, always clear and unwavering, became a conscience not just for the legal fraternity but for the nation.
Inside Uganda’s Property Market: Broll Uganda’s Moses Lutalo on Sector Realities and the Signals Investors Can’t IgnoreOutside the courtroom, he remained active as Chancellor of both Kampala International University and Kabale University,.
He also served as Presidential Advisor on Human Rights and International Affairs, and a member of international legal bodies, including the International Commission of Jurists.
A prolific writer, he authored several landmark books that continue to shape legal and political thought in Uganda and beyond, including “Constitutional Law and Government in Uganda” and “Constitutional and Political History of Uganda: From 1894 to Present.” His writing combined rigorous scholarship with an urgent moral clarity.
To his students, he was a mentor; to his colleagues, a sage; to the people, a public intellectual unafraid to speak truth to power.
Justice Kanyeihamba was also a family man, devoted to his wife Susan, and their children Sarah, Joel, and Ruth, along with their adopted daughter Betty.
In private, he was warm and humorous, often retreating to the quiet hills of Kabale where his love for country and community found its most personal expression.
Public Leaders and Legal Fraternity Eulogise Justice George W. Kanyeihamba
The death of Retired Supreme Court Justice Prof. George W. Kanyeihamba has drawn a wave of tributes from across Uganda’s political, legal, and cultural spectrum, as public leaders and the legal fraternity honour a man whose legacy transcended the courtroom.
Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister, Charles Peter Mayiga, described the late Justice Kanyeihamba as a principled man who remained steadfast in his convictions, regardless of the role he played—be it as a scholar, minister, judge, or private citizen.
“He never wavered from his ideals,” Mayiga noted. “He had the courage to say what he knew to be right or what he felt to be wrong. He was passionate about the rule of law and the unity of Ugandans.”
Calling him “a proud son of Kigezi” who considered himself “a dedicated subject of the Kabaka of Buganda,” Mayiga extended heartfelt condolences to Kanyeihamba’s family and friends.
Winnie Kiiza, the former Leader of Opposition in the 10th Parliament, paid tribute to Kanyeihamba as a “true champion of democracy and human rights.”
“With unwavering dedication, he breathed life into the Constitution, making it a shield for the weak,” Kiiza said. “His court became a sanctuary where the downtrodden, especially activists, found hope.”
She added that even in retirement, his commitment to justice never waned. “He leaves behind a legacy of decisions grounded in law and marked by clarity, compassion, and courage. His passing marks the end of a historic era and leaves a gap that will take us time to fill.”
Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa recalled a personal connection to the late jurist, remembering a 2023 Thanksgiving celebration at Namirembe Cathedral.
“Professor Kanyeihamba was a beacon of wisdom, resilience, and patriotism,” Tayebwa said. “Through his writings, legislative influence, and decades of teaching, he fundamentally shaped our legal system and jurisprudence.”
He hailed the late Justice as a mentor and national icon. “His landmark judgments will continue to guide generations of legal minds and serve as a testament to his brilliance and unwavering commitment to justice. Uganda has lost one of its greatest minds.”
Denis Kusaasira, Senior Partner at ABMAK Associates, echoed the sentiments of many in the legal community, calling Justice Kanyeihamba a “towering figure whose immense contributions…have left an indelible mark.”
“His unwavering commitment to justice, integrity, and the rule of law set a standard that will continue to inspire generations,” said Kusaasira. “His wisdom, courage, and dedication are irreplaceable.”
