The family of the late Professor George Wilson Kanyeihamba has appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to help settle the outstanding hospital bills incurred during the professor’s prolonged illness.
The request was made by Joe Matsiko Kanyeihamba, one of the late professor’s sons, during President Museveni’s condolence visit to the family’s residence in Buziga-Muyenga.
“My name is Joe Matsiko Kanyeihamba. I am the son of the late Professor George Kanyeihamba. I want to thank you very much for honoring us today by coming and mourning with us,” he said.
“My father, as I understand, was your friend, and you have reciprocated that friendship in many ways. On his behalf, I would like to thank you for the many appointments you gave him throughout his career. Toward the end of his life, I hear you were very generous with some of the costs of his health care. I want to sincerely thank you for that important support.
“However, there remain a number of healthcare costs that still need to be cleared. We would greatly appreciate it if you could consider helping us with those remaining expenses. Thank you very much, Your Excellency.”
In his eulogy, President Museveni recalled his first encounter with Professor Kanyeihamba during a historic debate at Makerere University featuring renowned African intellectuals Prof. Ali Mazrui and Dr. Walter Rodney. Museveni noted that Kanyeihamba had stood out among the young Ugandan thinkers of the time, deeply engaged in the ideological debates of the era.
Museveni also commended Kanyeihamba’s children for preserving the family legacy and giving him four grandchildren. He emphasized that his visit was a gesture of respect and sympathy, and handed the family an envelope containing money, in line with local customs. However, he did not directly comment on the issue of the outstanding medical bills.
Professor George Wilson Kanyeihamba was born on August 11, 1939, and passed away on July 14, 2025. He was a respected author, legal scholar, politician, and judge. He served in various capacities including Minister of Commerce, Minister of Justice, Attorney General, and later, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Uganda.
He chaired the Legal Committee of the Constituent Assembly responsible for drafting Uganda’s 1995 Constitution. Kanyeihamba earned his Ph.D. in law from the University of Warwick, which later honored him with an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) in 2008.
He will be laid to rest next week at his home in Buziga-Muyenga.
