Justice Kenneth Kakuru wowed Ugandans when he bravely said that the entire constitutional amendment act was unconstitutional.
Reading his individual judgment Thursday at Mbale High Court, Justice Kakuru said: “The Consolidated Petitions substantially succeed. The entire Amendment Act (Age limit) was unconstitutional and must be expunged from the constitution. I hereby declare the constitutional amendments relating to the Age Limit unconstitutional.”
But who is Justice Kakuru?
Kakuru, 60, is a renowned Ugandan lawyer and judge, who serve as a justice of the Court of Appeal of Uganda, since May 2013.
He was born in Uganda and attended local schools for his primary and secondary school education. He studied law at Makerere University, graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
Later, he graduated with a Master of Laws (LLM) degree, also from Makerere University.
His Diploma in Legal Practice was obtained from the Law Development Centre, in Kampala, Uganda’s capital and largest city.
He also holds a Master of Arts (MA) degree in Educational Policy Planning and Development, awarded by Kyambogo University.
He is also known human rights activist and founder and Senior Partner of the law firm of Kakuru & Company Advocates, a Kampala-based law firm, established in 1987.
He is also a Director of Greenwatch, an NGO whose mission is to promote public participation in the protection and management of the environment.
He established a reputation as an environmental rights attorney and an expert in public interest litigation.
Kakuru has specialized in Public Interest Litigation, but despite his passion for human rights, he shocked many when he stood in defence of bride price.
Among his professional affiliations, he is a member of the Uganda Law Society, the East African Law Society, the Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide and the International Bar Association.
Other considerations
He is an associate professor at the Uganda Pentecostal University, based in Fort Portal, Kabarole District. He is also an external examiner at the Law Development Center.
Family
Kenneth Kakuru was married to the late Winnie Ikiriza Kakuru (1 June 1958 to 8 March 2009), from 12 September 1987 until her death in 2009, and together they are the parents of three children, Sama, Tracy and Rose.
On 14 January 2012, he married Charity Nankunda Kakuru, his current wife.
