Law
Judiciary Pays Tribute To Former Supreme Court Judge, Scholar, and Constitutional Advocate
Uganda is in mourning following the passing of Hon. Justice Prof. George Wilson Kanyeihamba, a towering figure in the country’s legal and academic landscape. The retired Supreme Court Justice, who died on July 14, 2025, at the age of 85, is being remembered as a principled jurist, fearless intellectual, and a staunch defender of constitutionalism and human rights.
Born on August 11, 1939, in Kinaba, Kinkizi District of the Kigezi Region, Justice Kanyeihamba’s journey spanned decades of service to Uganda and the continent at large. His legacy is marked by an unwavering dedication to justice, integrity, and scholarship.
“We in the Judiciary have learnt with great sadness the passing of our Learned Brother and Friend,” read a statement issued by the Judiciary on Tuesday. “His steadfast integrity, moral leadership, and extraordinary bravery in upholding the independence of the Judiciary and the sanctity of the Constitution define his legacy.”
Justice Kanyeihamba served as a Justice of the Supreme Court from 1997 until his retirement in 2009. He was also one of the inaugural judges of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in 2006, where he played a key role in shaping the court’s jurisprudence.
Beyond the Bench, he was a celebrated academic and author, with seminal works such as Constitutional Law and Government in Uganda, Kanyeihamba’s Commentaries on Law, Politics and Governance (2006), and Constitutional and Political History of Uganda: From 1894 to Present (2010). His scholarship extended to refugee rights, including his 1987 article in Refuge: Canada’s Journal on Refugees, which championed better standards for refugee protection in Africa.
Justice Kanyeihamba’s illustrious career included roles as Cabinet Minister, Member of Parliament, Chairperson of the Legal Committee of the 1995 Constitution-making Constituent Assembly, and legal adviser to the President on Human Rights and International Affairs. He also chaired the Judges’ Terms and Conditions of Service Committee and served on several national and international legal bodies.
His academic contributions were equally far-reaching. He held positions at universities in Uganda and abroad, including as Chancellor of Kampala International University and Kabale University, and lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, Coventry University, and the University of Wales in Cardiff.
A revered voice for justice, Kanyeihamba was known for his bold and outspoken nature. “He was fearless, formidable, deeply ethical and incorruptible,” the Judiciary noted.
Condolences have poured in from across Uganda and beyond, with the Judiciary extending sympathies to his family, President Yoweri Museveni, members of the legal fraternity, academia, and international partners who were touched by his life’s work.
As the nation awaits burial arrangements, the legacy of Justice Kanyeihamba continues to inspire future generations in law, governance, and public service.
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