Late Justice Kanyeihamba’s Estate Ordered to Pay Shs 45m for Copyright Infringement

The Commercial Division of the High Court has directed the estate of the late Supreme Court Justice Prof. George Kanyeihamba to pay Shs 45 million in damages to researcher Yusuf Kiwanda. The ruling stems from a copyright infringement lawsuit regarding a revised edition of a prominent legal publication.

According to court records, Kiwanda was engaged to update the 1975 book, Constitutional Law and Government in Uganda. He invested substantial time and labour to add seven new chapters, update case law, and draft a complete manuscript. Although promised 30 percent of sales proceeds and co-authorship, Kiwanda was later told to abandon the project and offered a token payment of Shs 1 million, which he rejected.

Despite Kiwanda’s objections, the book was published in April 2021 under the title Evolution of Constitutional Law, Public Law and Government without granting him recognition or compensation. Justice Steven Mubiru noted that Kanyeihamba’s passing in July 2025 did not invalidate the legal claims, as financial and proprietary interests survive against a defendant’s estate.

The court awarded Shs 30 million in general damages and Shs 15 million in exemplary damages. Furthermore, Justice Mubiru issued a permanent injunction barring the distribution, sale, or publication of the book unless Kiwanda is duly recognized as a co-author or his specific contributions are removed. The estate is also required to account for gross proceeds, with Kiwanda entitled to 30 percent of sales, alongside an order for the seizure of unsold copies, as reported by The Observer (Uganda).