Retired Supreme Court judge Nshimye to be accorded official funeral

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President Yoweri Museveni has granted an official burial for retired Supreme Court judge Augustine Sebuturo Nshimye in appreciation of his immense contribution to the country.

Born on December 12, 1946, Nshimye, 80, died in Kampala on Friday, April 3, 2026, succumbing to cancer.

On Saturday, Milly Babalanda, the minister for the Presidency, via her X (formerly Twitter) social site, announced that the National Organising Committee (NOC) had a meeting with the bereaved family to "organise a befitting sendoff".

NOC, chaired by Babalanda, is responsible for organising state and official burials for distinguished Ugandans. Nshimye, a former cabinet minister and legislator, represented Mityana South constituency in the Parliament of Uganda.

Tentative programme by family indicates that a funeral service in honour of Justice Nshimye will be held at All Saints Church in Nakasero on Monday, April 6, preceding burial on Tuesday, April 7, in Namutamba Bulera sub-county in Mityana district.

On Saturday, Chief Justice Dr Flavian Zeija paid tribute to the retired Supreme Court judge, describing Nshimye as a distinguished jurist whose life was marked by unwavering dedication to justice and national service.

In a statement issued on Saturday, April 4, 2026, Zeija said Nshimye leaves behind a legacy of service, integrity and commitment to the rule of law.

He said Nshimye’s death marks the end of a long, distinguished career in public service during which he made immense contributions to the judiciary and governance.

“The judiciary extends its deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time,” Zeija said.

According to  Nzeija, Nshimye’s contribution to public life extended beyond the judiciary.

“Justice Nshimye will be remembered for his intellect, integrity, humility and steadfast commitment to the rule of law,” Zeija noted.

He said Nshimye’s legacy is etched in the many lives he touched, the institutions where he served, in addition to enriching the country’s jurisprudence through his decisions.

Zeija revealed that at the time of his death, Nshimye was serving as a court-accredited mediator attached to the Family Division of the High Court, reflecting his commitment to Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms and access to justice even in retirement.

Legal career

Nshimye entered legal practice following his completion of a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre (LDC).

His professional trajectory began in the judiciary as a senior clerk in 1967, a role that provided foundational exposure to legal administration.

By 1986, he had advanced to deputy chief registrar, overseeing judicial operations and registry functions, which necessitated legal expertise.

After his tenure as deputy chief registrar until 1988, he entered private legal practice.

Prior to his judicial appointments, Nshimye engaged in politics as a member of parliament for Mityana South and held ministerial positions, during which he drew on his legal qualifications amid Uganda’s post-independence governance transitions.

As one of the founding members of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), his legal acumen supported roles bridging administrative law and public policy.

These experiences solidified his reputation in public-sector legal work before his elevation to the bench.

Nshimye was appointed a Justice of the Court of Appeal of Uganda in early 2008, marking his entry into the judiciary as a judge.

He was among several new judicial officers sworn in by President Yoweri Museveni on May 1, 2008, alongside appointments to the Supreme Court and High Court.

Prior to this, Nshimye had served in administrative roles within the judiciary, including as Deputy Chief Registrar from 1986 to 1988, but his 2008 appointment represented his first substantive judicial bench position.

The Court of Appeal, which concurrently functions as the Constitutional Court, provided Nshimye’s initial platform for appellate and constitutional adjudication.

He served in this capacity for approximately seven years, handling appeals from High Court decisions and participating in panels addressing constitutional matters.

This period established his reputation in mid-level appellate work before his subsequent elevation to the Supreme Court in September 2015.

His promotion to the Supreme Court positioned him to adjudicate final appeals on constitutional and high-stakes cases, reflecting recognition of his prior judicial experience dating back to earlier roles in the judiciary.

One of Nshimye’s prominent contributions as a Supreme Court justice involved the 2016 presidential election petition filed by Amama Mbabazi challenging incumbent Yoweri Museveni’s victory.

Serving on the nine-justice panel, Nshimye concurred in the unanimous decision on March 31, 2016, dismissing the petition and upholding Museveni's re-election, finding insufficient evidence of widespread irregularities to annul the results under the Presidential Elections Act.

The ruling emphasised procedural thresholds for overturning elections while acknowledging isolated electoral flaws, such as voter intimidation, but deemed them non-material to the outcome.

In a 2015 ruling on police accountability, Nshimye led a five-justice panel that held individual officers personally liable for human rights abuses during operations, rejecting institutional defences and directing the Director of Public Prosecutions and Inspector General of Police to pursue prosecutions accordingly.

This decision, delivered amid scrutiny of security force conduct, reinforced personal responsibility in law enforcement, marking a shift from prior collective impunity claims in similar cases.

In the case involving the expulsion of NRM rebel Members of Parliament known as the Odoki case, Justice Augustine Nshimye, alongside Acting Chief Justice Steven Kavuma, faced allegations of bias from Prof. George Kanyeihamba, who represented expelled MP Gerald Karuhanga. Kanyeihamba wanted them to step down from the case.

However, Nshimye and Kavuma refused to step down, maintaining that the accusations lacked substantiating evidence and that such claims bordered on contempt of court, emphasising that recusal without proof would undermine judicial efficiency.