BREAKING! Retired Supreme Court Judge, Kanyeihamba Dies At 85

By Our Reporter

NATIONAL

Retired Supreme Court Judge, Prof George William Kanyeihamba has died at the age of 85 after battling a long illness for 8 years.

Kanyeihamba died early Monday morning, 14^th July, 2025 in a Kampala City hospital where he had been admitted for months.

Eulogizing the deceased legal brain, the Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyoni wrote on his X Account,

“Whenever we visited Justice Prof George Wilson Kanyeihamba, a one hour visit would always end up lasting four hours. He told us numerous stories about our Country’s history, and the many challenges he had to navigate as a judicial officer over the years, especially after he and 2 other Supreme Court justices ruled to annul the 2006 Presidential election due to rigging, bribery and intimidation of voters.

Fare the well Prof, you ran your race and ran it well. Rest in peace.”

George Wilson Kanyeihamba who was born on 11 August 1939 was a Ugandan author, politician and judge who was a cabinet minister and member of parliament.

He was also 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. Previously, he served as minister of commerce, minister of justice, and attorney-general, all in President Yoweri Museveni’s administration.

He held a Ph.D. in law from the University of Warwick.  In 2008, Warwick awarded him an honorary LLD.

Kanyeihamba was one of the three Supreme Court justices who ruled that the re-election of President Museveni in 2006 was fraudulent enough to be nullified. He since lost his post as judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights and commentators believe that his stand in that election petition cost him his job.

He was critical of the Government of Uganda when armed men invaded the premises of the High Court of Uganda to rearrest treason suspects that had been released on bail by the court. The Constitutional Court has since ruled that the invasion of the court premises was unconstitutional.