Uganda is mourning the loss of one of its most influential legal minds, Justice (Rtd) Prof. George Wilson Kanyeihamba, who passed away at the age of 85. Known for his unshakable integrity, legal brilliance, and commitment to constitutionalism, Prof. Kanyeihamba leaves behind a towering legacy one deeply woven into the fabric of Uganda’s democracy.
Born on August 11, 1939, in Kinaba, Kinkizi District, Prof. George Kanyeihamba rose from humble beginnings to become a towering figure in Uganda’s legal and political landscape. The last-born of 11 children, he attended several church-based primary schools before advancing to Kigezi High School and Busoga College Mwiri.
He would later pursue law at Portsmouth University and eventually earned a Ph.D. in Law from the University of Warwick, where he was also awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2008.
Kanyeihamba’s public service career was extensive. He served as Minister of Commerce, Minister of Justice, and Attorney General before being appointed to the Supreme Court in 1997. But it was his role as Chair of the Legal Committee of the 1995 Constituent Assembly that cemented his legacy. He helped shape a Constitution still viewed as one of the most progressive on the continent.
On the bench, Kanyeihamba was known for bold and often dissenting opinions, especially on matters of constitutionalism and executive overreach. He retired from the Supreme Court in 2009 but remained a vocal advocate for justice, democracy, and legal reform.
His writings, lectures, and public engagements influenced a generation of lawyers and judges across East Africa. Kanyeihamba never shied away from controversy if it meant defending what he believed was right.
As Uganda prepares to honor his memory, many see the loss of Prof. Kanyeihamba not just as the passing of a man but the end of an era of principled legal resistance and reform.
As tributes pour in from across the legal and political spectrum, one message remains clear: Justice Kanyeihamba’s legacy will endure—not only in Uganda’s court records but in the conscience of a nation he helped legally define.
