Justice Kakuru laid to rest at country home in Mbarara

Justice Kenneth Kakuru was Saturday laid to rest at his country home in Rwebishuri village, Mbarara district.

The body of the late Court of Appeal judge was lowered in the grave at 3:45 pm. He passed away at Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi on Tuesday, aged 65.

Preliminary reports indicate that he succumbed to prostate cancer, which had compelled him to seek early retirement in July 2021, although he eventually resumed work until his death.

Born in 1958, Kakuru was the son of Rev. Eliakim Kamujanduzi, and elder and senior educationist, and Roza Kamujanduzi.

Judicial officers laud Kakuru

The Chief Justice, Alfonse Owiny-Dollo said Kakuru has been a valuable member of the Judiciary since his appointment on July 4, 2013, and will be greatly missed, describing him as a human rights defender.

Owiny-Dollo described Kakuru as an icon of Justice. “His laudable decade-long service in the Judiciary leaves a trajectory of impeccable character, sound output and inherent commitment to duty.”

Owiny-Dollo said when he became the Deputy Chief Justice, he appointed Kakuru to head the case management function and oversee the functionality of the registries at the Court of Appeal and he helped to reduce high case backlog.

He described him as a social, kind-hearted, loving and humorous man, who was incorruptible.

The Principal Judge, Flavian Zeija, said Kakuru was a candid, courageous and maverick icon of Uganda’s administration of justice who, until the time of his demise had served as a valued member of the Court of Appeal.

He described Kakuru as a law don, an invaluable human rights defender and an ardent environmental activist who leaves behind a phenomenal record of fearless and dedicated service to the Judiciary and the nation at large.

“The late Kakuru activism for many years in environmental and constitutional law has immensely enriched both environmental law and constitutional law jurisprudence in Uganda, East Africa and the entire African continent,” he said.

Zeija said Kakuru’s passion for the rule of law, democracy and constitutionalism in Uganda was unquestionable. He added that his love for the Judiciary and his country was immense.

He said Kakuru was a true embodiment of honesty and judicial integrity. “The volumes of his professional works and tangible foot prints will forever live in the minds of the Judiciary and the entire legal fraternity.”

The widow of the late, Charity Nankunda, said Kakuru was not only a religious man but practiced his faith. Nankunda disclosed that Kakuru built a church and a school in memory of his late father.

Tracy Samantha Mwesigwa, the deceased’s daughter, said Kakuru contributed to the country’s environmental jurisprudence majorly through public interest litigation.

Who is Justice Kakuru?

Born in 1958, Kakuru studied law at Makerere University, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. He also attained Master of Laws degree from the same University.

Kakuru obtained a diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Center in Kampala. Before he joined the bench in July, 2013, he was a lawyer at Kakuru and Company Advocates, established in 1987.

He established a reputation as an environmental rights attorney and an expert in public interest litigation. At the time of his death, he was a non-executive director of Greenwatch Uganda, an environmental watchdog.

He also held a Master of Arts degree in educational policy planning and development from Kyambogo University.

Kakuru was also a member of Uganda Law Society, the East African Law Society, the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide and the International Bar Association.