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The Court affirmed the importance of vòire dire under section 41(3) of the Trial on Indictments Act (Cap 25), which mandates an inquiry into the intelligence and truth-telling capacity of a child of tender years. Referencing Opolot Ben Bosco v Uganda [2023] UGCA 40 – A vòire dire must demonstrate the child’s ability to distinguish right from wrong and retain independent memory of the events and has the reliability to prove that at the material time, she had conceived an acc

High court dismisses application for leave to appear and defend a summary suit over UGX 82M Debt . Subject Matter Summary procedure –...

From a regulatory perspective, the case spotlights the interaction between insolvency law and banking regulation. The Court’s reliance on the Financial Institutions (Credit Classification and Provisioning) Regulations, 2005 (reg.10) to explain interest on this non-performing loan suggests that credit regulators should ensure banks apply these rules consistently.

The rule of law is the bedrock of any functional society and is especially critical in the realm of employment relations. It ensures that both employers and employees operate within a framework of fairness, transparency, and accountability. In Uganda, as in many jurisdictions, the Employment Act and principles of natural justice serve as guiding lights for resolving workplace disputes.

The Court held that in cases of charitable donations, a donor cannot reclaim land simply because its use has changed, unless the donation was made subject to expressly attached legal conditions, which were later breached. Absent such conditions, the court found that trustees retain discretion to manage and even lease trust property, provided that the core objectives of the trust—such as religious or educational use—are not abandoned. Leasing parts of the land, therefore, does

A certificate of title is conclusive under the RTA unless fraud is proven. Lease offers issued over titled land are invalid if the land is not available or is disputed.

The appellate court emphasized that the validity of the mortgage was a mixed issue of law and fact, requiring evidence which had not been adduced.

The Court warned against third parties – including schools and even courts – confusing parental disputes (such as divorce) with the legal rights of children. It emphasized that economic hardship or parental separation does not justify undermining a parent’s constitutional rights to raise and care for their child.

The court observed that where a contract contains a valid and enforceable arbitration clause, courts are obliged to refer disputes to arbitration unless the clause is null, void, inoperative, or incapable of being performed.

A consent judgment becomes binding once signed by the parties and endorsed by the court. It may only be set aside on limited grounds such as fraud, collusion, or ignorance of material facts

A guarantee establishes a tripartite legal relationship involving the creditor, the principal debtor, and the guarantor. Under this arrangement, the guarantor undertakes a secondary obligation to satisfy the debt or obligation if the principal debtor defaults. This secondary liability only becomes enforceable upon the failure of the principal debtor to fulfil their primary obligation.

The court further clarified that Rule 7(3) is two-pronged; the first limb directs a respondent to file any intended affidavit “as soon as practicable.” The second limb, which includes the 56-day timeframe, only applies when the applicant has amended their motion or filed additional affidavits, thereby triggering a reciprocal right for the respondent to reply within that set period.

Citing Order 17 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), the Court emphasized that failure to perform “any other act necessary to the further progress of the suit, for which time has been allowed”, including filing submissions, can result in the Court proceeding without considering the defaulting party’s input.

The Court should therefore exercise caution before issuing such orders. However, when certain circumstances arise and make it desirable and imperative that a body be exhumed, the court will not unnecessarily fetter its discretion but will order such exhumation to meet the ends of justice. In the instant case, I have come to believe that it is in the best interest of all the parties that the paternity test is conducted through exhumation of the remains of the late Nsereko Geor

The rise of artificial intelligence has dramatically transformed the landscape of voice imitation, making it possible to create highly realistic digital replicas of an individual’s voice, often without their knowledge or consent for example the Late Ugandan Artist, Moze Radio of GOODLYFE Music, there have been allegations of AI voice imitation of his likeness and vocal timbre.

The High Court clarified that a person administering an estate must first register land in their representative capacity before transferring it into their name; failure to do so is irregular and may be contested. Also, claims grounded in customary inheritance must demonstrate the existence and application of specific customs, not merely invoke cultural norms.

In the present case, the Court held that a competent notice of appeal is one that bears the endorsement of the Registrar, in accordance with Rule 76(1) of the Judicature (Court of Appeal Rules) Directions (SI 13-10), which mandates that a notice of appeal be lodged in duplicate with the Registrar of the High Court. Non-compliance with this procedural requirement renders the application incurably defective and liable to be struck out.

A reinstatement of the suit will not occasion any prejudice to the Respondent… On the other hand, the Applicant has the right to be heard in the main suit, which is protected by Article 28 of the Constitution

The Court asserted that the framers of the Act deliberately imposed strict timelines that must be adhered to. While recognising that courts are empowered under Article 126(2)(e) of the Constitution to administer substantive justice without undue regard to technicalities, she stressed that this discretion must not be used to undermine the clear intent of statutory deadlines.

It is settled that an election is not an event but an elaborate process consisting of several stages which climax into voting, counting and tallying of votes, and final declaration of the winner by gazettement. As such, when faced with an Election Petition, the court has to analyse and evaluate the entire electoral process and not restrict itself to the polling day activities only

The Tribunal found that the failure or omission by the Applicant to supply samples as instructed by the bidding document was a material deviation that would in a substantial way, affect the quality of the supplies to be procured and would ultimately affect the ability of the applicant to perform the proposed contract contrary to Regulation 7(4) a) and b) of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (Evaluation) Regulations, 2023. Therefore the Evaluation Committee

While the Court acknowledged Article 41 of the Constitution and section 4 of the Access to Information Act, it emphasized that access to such information is governed by clear procedures set out in the Act. These include submitting a formal written request to the relevant information officer and, where access is denied, appealing first to the Chief Magistrate's Court under section 36 of the Access to Information Act.

A mark’s strength is measured by its distinctiveness and ability to act inherently as a badge or indicator of origin. New Balance claims its 990 design is “distinctive” through secondary meaning, arguing that it acquired its distinctiveness through use, noting that it sold millions of 990s over 40 years and spent many millions promoting them.

The law says that if this 28-day step is not taken, the case “abates.” In simple terms, this means the case is automatically brought to an end, not because the claim is weak, but because the person bringing the case failed to follow the procedure on time. This rule is found in Order 11A of the Civil Procedure Rules, which was updated in 2019 to help courts handle cases faster and avoid unnecessary delays.