Celebrated city lawyer, Kiryowa Kiwanuka, has been named the new Attorney General of Uganda in the new cabinet release, replacing William Byaruhanga.
Byaruhanga held the position of the Attorney General from June 2016 after taking over from the Nakawa Member of Parliament Fred Ruhindi.
In a cabinet reshuffle announced on June 8, Museveni brought on board the principal legal adviser to the government of Uganda. The office of the attorney general, is a cabinet-level government position in the country.
Kiryowa has previously served as Museveni’s personal lawyer for decades, and his appointment comes at a time government is dealing with serious legal issues.
He will have to handle the delicate ongoing court case in which DRC is seeking over $4 billion in reparations from Uganda for its role in the conflicts between 1998-2003.
President Museveni has for long complained about the high costs of power, which he attributed to the government officials who “went behind my back” to sign a very expensive deal for construction of Bujagali hydropower plant, as well as the 2005 concession that allowed Umeme – a private company – to take over power distribution from Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (UEDCL).
Kiryowa, an accomplished litigation lawyer who has successfully represented clients in many of the country’s landmark commercial disputes and heads K&K’s dispute resolution department, will have to use his legal experience to find a lasting solution to the Umeme situation.
Uganda has several infrastructure projects in the pipeline such as the Standard gauge railway, Kampala light rail and the oil refinery.
On his part, Kiryowa has since distinguished himself as an energy law practitioner which led to his appointment in 2015 to fill the only legal slot on the 7-member inaugural board of the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, which position he holds to date.
Kiryowa’s business partners are Edwin Karugire and Peter Kauma – all prominent city lawyers.
Outside the firm, KK, as he is fondly known, is an ardent golfer and a football fan. He has served in various capacities in golf administration at the club level and at national level as President of Uganda Golf Union leading the national team in many coveted regional championship wins.
Kiwanuka also currently serves as Chairman of Express Football Club, a Ugandan super league football team.
Kiryowa’s Qualifications
LLB (Hons), Makerere University Kampala
LLM in Petroleum Law and Policy, University of Dundee, Scotland
Advocate of the High Court of Uganda
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