Lukwago the budding lawyer
After emerging victorious in the Bageya case, Lukwago became a house-hold name
In early 1999, George Patrick Bageya, the former Iganga LC5 chairperson who had always referred to himself as the president of the district, faced impeachment. A panel of three heavily cloaked judges from the High Court was set up to probe allegations of abuse of office against him.
Bageya consulted a senior lawyer in town who recommend Erias Lukwago and his partner Caleb Alaka. Bageya took them on without hesitation, but on the eve of the trial when Bageya presented the lawyers to his electorate thousands of his supporters looked at the men and told Bageya to be more serious.
“These are mere boys from Makerere...,†they said.
“Ffe twenda abandi,†(We want others), they chorused. His supporters expected to see wise, old men with grey hair, probably hiding their tired eyes behind huge spectacles. Bageya calmed them down and assured them of the lawyers’ capabilities.
Lukwago and his colleague went to the trial to prove a point — that young lawyers can do a good job. At the end of it all, they were the victors and walked out with their heads held up high. Lukwago has never looked back ever since. This was his big break.
On a Friday afternoon, I walk into this 33-year old lawyer’s chambers located in London Chambers building in Kampala. There are about 15 people waiting in the lounge. When I finally enter, I find his office simply furnished. He is dressed in a black suit and talking on phone.
On his office table rests a statuette of Robert Pires, one of the midfield ‘creative directors,’ of Arsenal FC. I find him a Gunner, so we have a lot to talk about. “I bought it from Highbury last season while in London. It goes for £20,†he says as I admire the artistic piece.
After graduating from Makerere University in 1997, Lukwago obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre and enrolled as an advocate. In November of the same year, he set up a humble law firm.
“Things kept on getting better after the Bageya case. Now Bageya is my mentor. I am like his son,†he says. “When he contacted us, many people did not know that we could handle a case of such magnitude and were sure that we had lost the case long before the trial had even started.â€
Lukwago has represented Winnie Byanyima, Mbarara Municipality’s MP and was one of the 11 lawyers on former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye’s team, that represented him in a case challenging the verdict of the Electoral Commission in declaring Yoweri Museveni the winner of the 2001 presidential elections.
“We lost, but our point was made. All the five judges unanimously agreed that there was rigging although the rigging could not lead to the nullification of the elections,†Lukwago says. “That was a landmark case.â€
Lukwago also represented former Kampala Mayor Nasser Ssebagala, when he was charged with inciting people in Kansanga not to pay taxes, and won.
Lukwago developed an interest in law at a later time in his life. After high school, he applied for Social Work and Social Administration (SWASA), because it was trendy to do this course then. He was admitted on government-sponsorship and had to spend 10 weeks at Kyankwanzi for a political education course as was the government policy then. While there, he got involved in political discussions and arguments. He then realised that he had made a mistake by applying for SWASA. “I wanted to pursue a course that would help me understand the Movement better. I have always looked forward to the rule of law,†he emphases.
Lukwago then embarked on the hectic process of switching from SWASA to law. He applied to the University of Dar-es-Salaam’s exchange programme to realise his dream. Three other people including himself were successful, but events changed when the University of Dar-es-Salaam could only take on two people.
Lukwago had to persuade Makerere University to allow him switch to law. It took him a long while to do this and by the time he was admitted, the other students had already covered a lot. He was treated as a stranger but a student called Caleb Alaka, helped him catch up. This is how the two managing partners met.
While at Makerere, Lukwago became a member of the Democratic Party(DP), under its youth wing, the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD). He was one of those who stood his ground against Joseph Luzige’s leadership of UYD. He was also the secretary general of Makerere Law Society from 1994/95, where he picked up an interest in public litigation and election petitions.
Julius Barungi, his neighbour in Lumumba Hall describes Lukwago as a very active and focused man. “He is a self made man. I am not surprised he is a big lawyer now. He is also very vocal,†he says.
Lukwago is quick to defend himself on media accusations of behaving like the DP’s legal advisor, when the position is held by John Kawanga. “The post of legal advisor is an executive post and John Kawanga holds it, but DP as a legal entity has a pool of lawyers who handle different assignments. I am just one of them.
He says he is not planning to go into politics now, but to continue practising law, “because it is the best way to serve my country particularly in the area of constitutionalism and human rights.â€
However, this does not mean he is not interested in other legal cases.
Lukwago was born on May 11, 1970, to Hajji Muhamood Mirundi and Hajjati Salima Mirundi. He grew up in Kiwaawo, a small village near Kalungu in Masaka, where he trekked the village paths to Kiwaawo Primary School nearby. He then joined Kampala High School for five years before joining Kampala Students’ Centre for his Senior Six. “I did not go to Kisubi,†he laughs.
He is engaged to Mariam Zawedde, a lawyer with Ssewankambo and Mawanda Advocates. Lukwago says he is happy to have a law firm and having realised his dreams of being self-employed.
Bageya consulted a senior lawyer in town who recommend Erias Lukwago and his partner Caleb Alaka. Bageya took them on without hesitation, but on the eve of the trial when Bageya presented the lawyers to his electorate thousands of his supporters looked at the men and told Bageya to be more serious.
“These are mere boys from Makerere...,†they said.
“Ffe twenda abandi,†(We want others), they chorused. His supporters expected to see wise, old men with grey hair, probably hiding their tired eyes behind huge spectacles. Bageya calmed them down and assured them of the lawyers’ capabilities.
Lukwago and his colleague went to the trial to prove a point — that young lawyers can do a good job. At the end of it all, they were the victors and walked out with their heads held up high. Lukwago has never looked back ever since. This was his big break.
On a Friday afternoon, I walk into this 33-year old lawyer’s chambers located in London Chambers building in Kampala. There are about 15 people waiting in the lounge. When I finally enter, I find his office simply furnished. He is dressed in a black suit and talking on phone.
On his office table rests a statuette of Robert Pires, one of the midfield ‘creative directors,’ of Arsenal FC. I find him a Gunner, so we have a lot to talk about. “I bought it from Highbury last season while in London. It goes for £20,†he says as I admire the artistic piece.
After graduating from Makerere University in 1997, Lukwago obtained a postgraduate diploma in legal practice from the Law Development Centre and enrolled as an advocate. In November of the same year, he set up a humble law firm.
“Things kept on getting better after the Bageya case. Now Bageya is my mentor. I am like his son,†he says. “When he contacted us, many people did not know that we could handle a case of such magnitude and were sure that we had lost the case long before the trial had even started.â€
Lukwago has represented Winnie Byanyima, Mbarara Municipality’s MP and was one of the 11 lawyers on former presidential candidate Kizza Besigye’s team, that represented him in a case challenging the verdict of the Electoral Commission in declaring Yoweri Museveni the winner of the 2001 presidential elections.
“We lost, but our point was made. All the five judges unanimously agreed that there was rigging although the rigging could not lead to the nullification of the elections,†Lukwago says. “That was a landmark case.â€
Lukwago also represented former Kampala Mayor Nasser Ssebagala, when he was charged with inciting people in Kansanga not to pay taxes, and won.
Lukwago developed an interest in law at a later time in his life. After high school, he applied for Social Work and Social Administration (SWASA), because it was trendy to do this course then. He was admitted on government-sponsorship and had to spend 10 weeks at Kyankwanzi for a political education course as was the government policy then. While there, he got involved in political discussions and arguments. He then realised that he had made a mistake by applying for SWASA. “I wanted to pursue a course that would help me understand the Movement better. I have always looked forward to the rule of law,†he emphases.
Lukwago then embarked on the hectic process of switching from SWASA to law. He applied to the University of Dar-es-Salaam’s exchange programme to realise his dream. Three other people including himself were successful, but events changed when the University of Dar-es-Salaam could only take on two people.
Lukwago had to persuade Makerere University to allow him switch to law. It took him a long while to do this and by the time he was admitted, the other students had already covered a lot. He was treated as a stranger but a student called Caleb Alaka, helped him catch up. This is how the two managing partners met.
While at Makerere, Lukwago became a member of the Democratic Party(DP), under its youth wing, the Uganda Young Democrats (UYD). He was one of those who stood his ground against Joseph Luzige’s leadership of UYD. He was also the secretary general of Makerere Law Society from 1994/95, where he picked up an interest in public litigation and election petitions.
Julius Barungi, his neighbour in Lumumba Hall describes Lukwago as a very active and focused man. “He is a self made man. I am not surprised he is a big lawyer now. He is also very vocal,†he says.
Lukwago is quick to defend himself on media accusations of behaving like the DP’s legal advisor, when the position is held by John Kawanga. “The post of legal advisor is an executive post and John Kawanga holds it, but DP as a legal entity has a pool of lawyers who handle different assignments. I am just one of them.
He says he is not planning to go into politics now, but to continue practising law, “because it is the best way to serve my country particularly in the area of constitutionalism and human rights.â€
However, this does not mean he is not interested in other legal cases.
Lukwago was born on May 11, 1970, to Hajji Muhamood Mirundi and Hajjati Salima Mirundi. He grew up in Kiwaawo, a small village near Kalungu in Masaka, where he trekked the village paths to Kiwaawo Primary School nearby. He then joined Kampala High School for five years before joining Kampala Students’ Centre for his Senior Six. “I did not go to Kisubi,†he laughs.
He is engaged to Mariam Zawedde, a lawyer with Ssewankambo and Mawanda Advocates. Lukwago says he is happy to have a law firm and having realised his dreams of being self-employed.