Biography
I am a practicing advocate of the Courts of Judicature in the Republic of Uganda. My career has been largely focused on human rights litigation and advocacy before domestic mechanisms. I have a special interest in the areas of public and constitutional law, sexual and reproductive health rights law and international human rights law. I have previously worked as a Program Manager & National Coordinator at the Centre for Legal Aid, a Kampala based Legal Aid Services Provider and as a Volunteer Researcher at Legal Brains Trust, a human rights organisation and democracy watchdog.
I have represented a number of people affected by the gross abuse of human rights in Uganda. To mention but a few, in 2020, I represented Justine Jjuuko, a former Ugandan boxing champion based in the States who was kidnapped on arrival to Uganda. He had declared his support for the then leading opposition political party Forum for Democratic Change and he was accused for supporting subversive activities aimed at overthrowing the Museveni led regime. I successfully obtained orders of habeas corpus from the High Court of Uganda hence leading to his under conditional release. In the same year, I also represented Mr. Guy Milton Smith, an American Citizen who was kidnapped by security operatives from the Western District of Fort Portal and detained in a military facility. Security operatives alleged that he was also engaged in subversive activities of supporting the National Unity Platform, which is now the leading opposition political party led by former popstar, Kyagulanyi Robert alias Bobi Wine. Unfortunately, upon obtaining a release order from the High Court, he was arbitrarily deported on orders of the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Following the passage of the repressive Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 by the Ugandan Parliament, I was retained as attorneys on the legal team which represented the Petitioners in Constitutional Petition No. 14 of 2023, Hon. Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, Pepe Onziema, Frank Mugisha and Others v. Attorney General of Uganda. This petition challenged the constitutionality of the Homosexuality Act, 2023. Our bid to nullify the entire law was not successful although we managed to strike down a few provisions of the law. This case is now on appeal before the Supreme Court of Uganda, which is the highest appellate court in Uganda. I was part of the legal team that successfully challenged the Computer Misuse (Amendment) Act, 2022 in the Constitutional Court of Uganda on grounds that it was passed without the requisite quorum by the Parliament of Uganda. We have worked together with Sexual Minorities Uganda and Chapter Four Uganda to extend legal services to the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda after the enactment of the AHA 2023. These include police and court appearances on behalf of affected members of the LGBTQ+ community.
