Quick Facts
Biography
George W. Kanyeihamba 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 holds a Ph.D. in law from the University of Warwick. In 2008, Warwick awarded him an honorary LLD.
Prof. Kanyeihamba was one of the three supreme court justices who ruled that the election of president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni was fraudulent enough to be nullified. He has since lost his post as judge of the African court of justice and commentators believe that his stand in that election petition cost him his job.
He has also been 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.
The judge has always had a love/hate relationship with the government as he is always unpredictable in his judgment. At his retirement, he was the only Judge with a PhD in the country and is admired by many for his intellectual strength.
He is also the chancellor of both Kampala International University and Kabale University.Additionally, he holds the following positions:
- Member of the Foundation for Human Rights Initiative
- Chairman of The Committee on Judges' Terms And Conditions Of Service
- Legal Advisor to the President of Uganda on Human Rights and International Affairs
- Chairman of the board of trustees of the Kabale University Chairman, Legal and Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly
- Chair of the International Commission of Jurists Advisory Panel of Eminent Commonwealth Judicial Experts