The Katikkiro of Buganda Owekitiibwa Charles Peter Mayiga has eulogized the deceased Justice Kenneth Kakuru of the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court, saying that he believed in rule of law and worked for justice.

Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, who said he had spoken to members of Justice Kakuru’s family, officially announced that Justice Kakuru died on the morning of Tuesday 07th March 2023 at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya.

In officially announcing the death of Justice Kenneth Kakuru, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny Dollo said that the deceased has been a valued member of the Bench since his appointment about 10 years ago on 04th July 2013 and will be greatly missed in the Judiciary. The Chief Justice added that Justice Kakuru was thorough in his judgments and was a deeply committed human rights defender.

For his part, the Katikkiro of Buganda, Owekitiibwa Charles Peter Mayiga also spoke fondly of Justice Kakuru, saying that he was a legal practitioner with a deep commitment to the law and was meticulous in his work.

Katikkiro Mayiga, who is also a lawyer, said that the late justice faithfully believed in the rule of law and constitutionalism and will be dearly missed by all.

The late Justice Kakuru rose to prominence for his dissenting judgment in the ‘age limit case’ when he ruled that the amendment of the Constitution in 2017 to remove the lower and upper age limits for candidates seeking the presidency and local government positions, was done illegally by Parliament.

Justice Kakuru based his ruling on a number of factors, but his decision was mostly rooted in what he said was the lack of consultation of the public by their legislators during the amendment of the said article 102(b) of the constitution.

Then a senior lawyer, Kakuru was a senior lawyer in private practice but in 2013, President Yoweri Museveni appointed him a justice of the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court. However, in 2021 he applied to retire seven years earlier than scheduled, citing health reasons.