By CPA Frederick Wanume Kibbedi
A Statesman. A Consistent Judge. A Mwirian. A Political Prophet.
This morning, Uganda awoke to the solemn news of the passing of one of her most fearless intellectual giants and legal minds—Hon. Justice (Rtd) Dr. George William Kanyeihamba.
The nation mourns not just a man, but a principled force who shaped the course of jurisprudence, constitutionalism, and intellectual discourse for decades.
A Towering Legal Mind:
Justice Kanyeihamba served with distinction on the Supreme Court bench from 1997 to 2009. His judgments were marked by intellectual clarity, legal rigor, and unwavering consistency. He did not waver with the winds of convenience. He stood by principle, whether in majority or dissent. Few jurists in Uganda’s history have penned dissenting opinions that went on to define future political debates and judicial interpretations.
A Political Prophet:
Long before many dared to speak, he warned. Long before institutions felt tremors, he had sensed the cracks. Justice Kanyeihamba was not just a judge—he was a prophet of political foresight. He challenged the erosion of constitutionalism and sounded the alarm against creeping authoritarianism. And he did so, again and again, without fear.
An Intellectual Giant with Global Footprint:
As a scholar, author, and lecturer, he carried the Ugandan flag across world stages, engaging in global legal discourse with the same fiery brilliance he displayed on the bench. His contributions to constitutional law were not merely academic—they were blueprints for democratic safeguards.
A Proud Mwirian, Steeped in Mwiri’s Ethos:
Busoga College Mwiri shaped him—and he, in turn, became one of its greatest products. Justice Kanyeihamba embodied Mwiri’s creed of “Discipline, Excellence, and Leadership.” To every OB of Mwiri, he was proof that an alumnus could rise to global intellectual renown while remaining unapologetically grounded in integrity.
An Enduring Voice of Conscience:
Even in retirement, his voice never rested. In columns, public addresses, and interviews, he held power to account and challenged younger generations to rise above mediocrity. He was not bitter—he was burdened. Burdened by a duty to keep speaking truth when others chose silence.
As we mourn, we must also reflect:
Who among us will dissent when the law is being bent?
Who will speak when silence is safe but wrong?
Who will rise to match the consistency he maintained for decades?
Uganda has lost a judge, a thinker, and a teacher. The Mwiri fraternity has lost a living legend. Africa has lost a prophetic constitutionalist. But history has gained an unerasable name on the tablets of truth.
Rest well, Justice Kanyeihamba.
Your voice may have quieted, but your judgments still speak.
