Court of Appeal Justice Kakuru dies in Nairobi

Kakuru, who was admitted in Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, has reportedly been battling stage four cancer.

The Justice was the only one of the five judges of the Constitutional Court to rule against the scrapping of the age limit clause from the 1995 Constitution.

The four who dismissed the petition against the amendment were Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, then Deputy Chief Justice and now Chief Justice, Justice Remmy Kasule, Justice Elizabeth Musoke, and Justice Cheborion Barishaki.  

Last year, Kakuru withdrew his retirement letter only for him to participate in the disposal of 162 election petition appeals within a period of four months even when he was on sick leave.

“Yes it is true, I have applied for early retirement on account of health. I have been told that the management and treatment of this condition will go on for the rest of my life,” he said.

He is most remembered during the constitutional age limit judgement on July 26, 2018, where he said: “The constitution of Uganda should not be changed like men change shirts.”

Before joining the Judiciary, Justice Kakuru practised law through his firm, Kakuru and Company Advocates, and distinguished himself as an environmental rights attorney and an expert in public interest litigation.

He held a bachelor’s degree in law and a master’s of law from Makerere University, a post graduate diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre, and a master’s degree in educational policy, planning and development from Kyambogo University.