National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has paid a stirring tribute to the late Justice George Wilson Kanyeihamba, describing him as "an unbending conscience" in Uganda's judiciary and a fearless legal icon who stood for justice even in the face of political isolation.
Speaking during the farewell ceremony held in Buziga, Kyagulanyi said the country had lost more than a legal scholar--it had lost a moral compass.
"Uganda mourns not just the loss of a legal titan but the permanent silencing of a conscience that could not be bought, bent, or buried," Kyagulanyi said.
He lauded Kanyeihamba's principled stance in the 2006 presidential election petition, in which the then Supreme Court justice ruled against the regime, citing electoral fraud.
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According to Kyagulanyi, that decision marked a turning point in Kanyeihamba's career, leading to his ostracisation from within the judiciary.
"For that, the regime turned on him, and the judiciary turned its back against him," he said.
"He was sidelined and ostracised."
Rather than retreat from public life, Kanyeihamba used his pen and voice to expose what he saw as the increasing politicisation of the courts.
Kyagulanyi echoed his concerns, citing the rise of "cadre judges"--a term Kanyeihamba often used to refer to judicial officers who serve political interests over legal principles.
"Justice Kanyeihamba exposed how the judiciary had become a tool of repression," Kyagulanyi said. "Even in isolation, he chose truth over comfort."
Kyagulanyi also highlighted the late jurist's visible support for the opposition, recalling how Kanyeihamba publicly identified with NUP during its formative years, when the party faced intense state persecution.
"He gave us encouragement amidst great persecution. At a time when many doubted us, Justice Kanyeihamba boldly donned our red beret in solidarity," he said.
The NUP leader called on Ugandans to honour Kanyeihamba's legacy by continuing to demand justice and speak truth to power.
"As we bid farewell to this great son of Uganda, we must commit ourselves to the path he charted," he said.
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"Justice must be seen as a right, not a privilege. And speaking truth to power must never be mistaken for treason."
Justice George Wilson Kanyeihamba passed away on July 14, 2025, at the age of 85.
A celebrated constitutional scholar and one of the architects of Uganda's 1995 Constitution, he leaves behind a towering legacy of judicial independence, academic excellence, and principled resistance to repression.
