Kampala, Uganda – July 15, 2025 – Uganda’s judiciary have paid a moving tribute to the Late Retired Supreme Court judge Justice Prof. George Wilson Kanyeihamba, describing him as a distinguished legal scholar, jurist, politician, and human rights advocate. Justice Kanyeihamba passed away on July 14, 2025, at the age of 85.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Judiciary expressed “great sadness” at the loss of a “Learned Brother and Friend.” Justice Kanyeihamba’s extensive career saw him serve as an accomplished author, teacher, and politician, including roles as a Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament. He was also a pivotal figure in the nation’s legal framework as the Chairperson of the Legal Committee of the Constituent Assembly that drafted the 1995 Constitution.
Born in Kinaba in Kinkizi District of the Kigezi Region on August 11, 1939, Justice Kanyeihamba received his early education at Kigezi High School, Busoga College Mwiri, and Norwich City College. He earned a Bachelor of Laws from Portsmouth University in the 1970s and later a Doctorate of Laws from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.
A cornerstone of Uganda’s judiciary, Justice Kanyeihamba was appointed to the Supreme Court of Uganda in 1997, where he served diligently for 12 years until his retirement in November 2009. His commitment to justice and human rights was further demonstrated by his election in 2006 as one of the inaugural judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights. His contributions significantly shaped the Court’s credibility and its role in the promotion and protection of human rights across Africa.
The Judiciary lauded his rulings and legal writings as a testament to his “strong commitment to constitutionalism, justice, and human rights – values he steadfastly upheld throughout his life.” He was particularly recognized for his advocacy for the rights of refugees and other vulnerable groups, authoring the article “Improving the Standards of Human Rights and Refugee Protection in Africa,” published in May 1987.
Beyond his judicial contributions, Justice Kanyeihamba was a prolific writer whose works served as a source of inspiration and guidance for countless scholars and legal professionals both locally and internationally. The Judiciary stated that it “offers its deepest sympathies to the family of the Late Justice Kanyeihamba, the President of the Republic of Uganda, the legal fraternity, the members of the academia, the people of Uganda and the international friends, who have been variously impacted by his life and noble works.”
Justice Kanyeihamba’s legacy is further cemented by his role as Chairperson of the International Commission of Jurists Advisory Panel of Eminent Commonwealth Judicial Experts, where his “steadfast integrity, moral leadership, and extraordinary bravery” upheld the independence of the Judiciary and the sanctity of the constitution.
“While we grieve his passing on, we also honour a life devoted to service, justice, and the unrelenting search for the truth,” the Judiciary’s statement concluded. “He was outspoken, fearless, formidable and principled, deeply ethical and incorruptible. May the soul of Hon. Justice Prof. George Wilson Kanyeihamba Rest in Eternal Peace.”
