Joan Kagezi was a true patriot says Museveni

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President Yoweri Museveni has remembered former Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Joan Namazzi Kagezi as a prosecutor who represented a generation of Ugandans who understood that patriotism is not merely talk.

“Some people think prosecution is simply about appearing in court with files and papers. No. That is a shallow understanding. Prosecution is part of state power. It is part of national security. It is part of defending wananchi and preserving civilisation,” Museveni stated in his speech read by the Chief Justice Dr Flavian Zeija during a lecture in her memory at the Commonwealth Resort Hotel in Munyonyo on Friday, May 29, 2026.

L-R: Carol Kagezi and George Philip Kagezi Kulubya with Principal Judge Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo sharing a light moment during the 8th Joan Kagezi memorial lecture at Speke Resort hotel in Munyonyo on Friday 29th May 2026. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Kagezi was shot dead by unknown assailants on March 30, 2015, in Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb, on her way home.

At the time of her gruesome murder, Kagezi was the lead prosecutor in the famous 2010 Kampala twin bombings in which over 76 people lost their lives.

One of her assailants has since pleaded guilty and sentenced to 35 years in jail, while four others, including former commander of the Special Operations Unit Nixon Agasirwe, are still facing trial over the same heinous crime.

L-R:The Principal Judge, Lady Justice Jane Frances Abodo, Chief Justice , Dr.Flavian Zeija and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lino Anguzu during the 8th Joan Kagezi memorial lecture at Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo on Friday 29th May 2026. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

Museveni said when prosecutors stand firm against terrorism, organised crime, corruption, money laundering, human trafficking, and impunity, they are not merely enforcing the law but are defending Uganda itself.

“That is why criminals feared Joan Kagezi. Criminals thought they could intimidate the criminal justice system through violence and fear, but institutions are stronger than individuals when the people within them are ideologically clear and patriotic,” Museveni noted.

“When Joan Kagezi was assassinated in 2015, Uganda lost not only an experienced Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions but also a courageous cadre who clearly understood that criminal justice work is part of the broader struggle for peace, stability, and transformation,” Museveni said.

Museveni said Kagezi became a target precisely because she was effective against dangerous criminal networks.

“I have closely followed the investigations and prosecutions in this matter over the years. The recent developments before the International Crimes Division of the High Court, including the guilty plea entered by one of the accused, are important not merely for punishment but because they demonstrate that the State remains resilient and determined,” Museveni said.

“Sometimes, wananchi become impatient and ask why investigations take time. But serious criminal investigations are not like roasting maize on the roadside. You do not wake up and manufacture evidence. You need facts. You need intelligence. You need patience. And eventually the truth comes out,” Museveni said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lino Anguzu, said Kagezi stood on the frontline against criminality and impunity.

“She was a fearless servant of justice whose dedication to the rule of law continues to inspire prosecutors across Uganda and beyond. If her assassination on March 30, 2015, was intended to instil fear in the justice system and silence those who defend the rule of law, then it failed miserably. More than ten years later, her legacy has only grown stronger,” Anguzu said.

Anguzu noted that the ongoing trials and conviction of her assailants are a significant breakthrough in a case that had gone cold and remained unresolved for nearly a decade.

“It communicates a strong message the public deserves to hear that justice may be delayed, but it can never be denied or avoided,” Anguzu noted.

The Principal Judge Jane Frances Abodo urged the office of the DPP to strengthen prosecution-guided investigations, embrace technology and do refresher courses to ably handle the merging crime trends.

Philip Kagezi commended the ODPP and the government for continuing with the memorial lecture.

“The people who occupy offices occupy history. We thank you for continuing with this memorial lecture because it stands out as a living testimony to her outstanding services to the nation,” Philip said.