By Ephraim Kasozi
By Anthony Wesaka
Attorney General’s team
William Byaruhanga
Mr Byaruhanga is the Attorney General, also known as the head of the Bar. He joined the Justice ministry in 2016 and has served as such since then.
One of the high profile cases he handled was the famous age limit appeal before the Supreme Court about two years ago and the subsequent reference at the East African Court of Justice in Arusha, Tanzania.
Francis Atoke
Mr Atoke is the current Solicitor General at the Justice Ministry, a position he has held since 2012.He joined the ministry in 1987 and has since risen through the ranks and worked as deputy Administrator General from 1997 to 2009. He was the Administrator General from 2009 until 2012 when he was appointed the Solicitor General.
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Christine Kaahwa
Ms Kaahwa is the acting director of Civil Litigation at the Justice ministry.She was part of the legal team that defended government in the age limit case in Mbale and later on appeal at the Supreme Court.Ms Kaakwa, who joined the ministry in late 1990s, has also served on various boards like the National Lotteries and Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB).
Martin Mwambutsya
Mr Mwambutsya is a commissioner in the Justice ministry.He was part of the legal team from the Attorney General’s chambers that represented government in the presidential age limit case in Mbale. He shot to the limelight about 10 years ago when he defended government in the controversial impeachment case against Kampala Lord Mayor, Erias Lukwago.
Richard Adrole
Mr Adrole is the Principal State Attorney in the Justice Ministry.He was part of the legal team from Attorney General’s Chambers that defended government in the famous age limit case in Mbale and later on appeal at the Supreme Court.
Mr Adrole has defended government in many civil cases locally and at the regional level, the East African Court of Justice in Arusha, Tanzania.
George Kalemera
Mr Kalemera is a commissioner at the Justice ministry.He was part of the legal team that represented government in the age limit reference at the East African Court of Justice.
Brian Musota
Mr Musota is currently, a State Attorney in the Justice Ministry.He is the least experienced among the lawyers representing the Attorney General in this poll petition given his rank.He has defended government in a number of cases with some being the case involving the disappearance of a Rwandan national Benjamin Rutabana and the case involving Felix Kaweesi murder suspects.
Ebert Byenkya
Mr Byenkya was the lead counsel at the Commission of Inquiry into land matters.
He is also a former chairman of Makerere University Staff Tribunal. He represented President Museveni in two previous presidential election petitions filed by Dr Kizza Besigye in 2001 and 2006.Mr Byenkya was also part of the legal team that represented Mr Museveni in the 2016 election petition that was filed by former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi.
Kiryowa Kiwanuka
Mr Kiryowa, commonly known as KK, is an accomplished litigation lawyer in Uganda having successfully represented clients in many of the country’s landmark commercial disputes and heads K&K advocates dispute resolution department.
Last year, Mr Kiryowa represented NRM in the Constitutional case in which 11 MPs were challenging a resolution by the Central Executive Committee of the ruling National Resistance Movement party endorsing President Museveni as their sole presidential candidate for the 2021 elections.
He was also one of the lawyers who represented Mr Museveni in the 2016 election petition filed by former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi.
In 2015, Mr Kiwanuka successfully represented NRM in defeating an application in the Constitutional court that sought to block the approval of NRM’s new secretariat office bearers by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
He is the founder of M/s Byenkya, Kihika & Co. Advocates in 1992.
Edwin Karugire
Mr Karugire is a son-in-law to President Museveni. He was part of the legal team that represented Mr Museveni in the 2016 election petition filed by former premier Amama Mbabazi.
With more than 17 years of experience in Commercial and Corporate Law, Mr Karugire led the firm transactions team in two of the biggest telecommunication acquisitions in Uganda.
He has also handled several notable cross border joint venture transactions in the Technology, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, media, security, printing, agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
Who are representing EC?
Peter Kabatsi
Mr Kabatsi is a senior partner at Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA).
He served as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and Solicitor General between 1990 and 2002.
He has participated in all the four presidential election petitions.He is also on the list of counsels eligible to practice before the International Criminal Court (ICC). This list was created to ensure that persons implicated in proceedings before the court benefit from effective legal representation.
Additionally, he is an attorney and notary in the kingdom of Lesotho, where he also served as principal crown counsel.Mr Kabatsi has represented high profile officials in court like the former Inspector of Police, Gen Kale Kayihura, before the military court and businessman Sudhir Ruparelia in a commercial dispute case against Crane Bank in liquidation.
Eric Sabiti
Mr Sabiti is currently the head of litigation at the EC where he has worked for more than 15 years.
He has also participated in a number of previous presidential elections defending the EC.
Prior to joining the EC, Mr Sabiti worked with Mugimba and Company Advocates in 2005.
Joseph Matsiko
Mr Matsiko is a managing partner at the Kampala Associated Advocates and a co-head of the litigation department.
He is a versatile and distinguished litigator with a career spanning more than 25 years.
Before he joined KAA, Mr Matsiko served as a State attorney in the Justice ministry where he rose to become the director of civil litigation.
He has participated in all the four presidential poll petitions since 2001.
Alfred Okello Oryem
Mr Okello Oryem is a distinguished lawyer and managing partner at Okello Oryem & Co. Advocates.
He has been involved in numerous matters in the area of electoral litigation where he has represented the Electoral Commission. He has represented the EC in all the presidential poll petitions since 2001.
Mr Okello Oryem has also represented parties in the aviation industry, handled several commercial cases in the area of concessions and bilateral contracts as well as criminal law.
He has also held many prestigious positions within the legal practice over the years including working in the Attorney General’s Chambers and in the EC’s legal department from 2001 to 2006.
Bruce Musinguzi
Mr Musinguzi is currently a partner at KAA. He holds a master’s degree from Georgetown University in Washington DC.
He brings on board 12 years of experience and was recognised as a rising star by Global Chambers and Partners in 2020.
Prior to joining KAA, Bruce worked with PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC), and with JPMorgan in the United States.
He also participated in the 2016 presidential election petition lodged by former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi against Mr Museveni.
Jet Tumwebaze
Mr Tumwebaze is a partner with KAA and is part of the litigation team.He has litigated a number of matters at the East African Court of Justice in Arusha, Tanzania.He participated in the last presidential election petition.
Elison Karuhanga
Mr Karuhanga is currently a partner at the Kampala Associated Advocates where he works in the Litigation and Energy department. Prior to joining KAA, Mr Karuhanga worked as a state attorney in the Justice ministry.
He has extensive litigation experience and has appeared before all the courts of record in Uganda as well as the East African Court of Justice.
He was one of the lawyers representing Gen Kale Kayihura before the military court and also successfully represented Mr Ruparelia in the Crane Bank case.
This is his second participation in a presidential election petition with his maiden appearance being in 2016 when he represented the EC.
