As Uganda commemorates 30 years under the 1995 Constitution, the nation is also set to unveil a ground breaking legal publication: the first-ever comprehensive compendium of the country’s most influential public interest litigation cases.
The historic launch is scheduled for October 7, 2025, in a ceremony organized by the Fidelis Leadership Institute (FLI) in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).
The compendium, a pioneering legal resource, chronicles 24 landmark court rulings delivered between 1996 and 2024, decisions that have fundamentally shaped Uganda’s constitutional and legal landscape.
The publication features detailed case summaries, thematic analyses, and expert commentary, offering readers insights into how legal decisions have influenced governance, civil liberties, and social justice in Uganda.
According to FLI Executive Director, Pheona Nabasa Wall, the publication not only showcases judicial milestones but also narrates the country’s democratic journey.
“This is more than just a collection of rulings,” she said.
“It’s a chronicle of how public interest litigation has upheld constitutionalism, protected human rights, and empowered citizens. These are cases that have expanded freedoms, safeguarded vulnerable groups, and held public institutions accountable. They are, in essence, the heartbeat of a society striving toward justice and equity,” the former President of Uganda Law Society noted.
Historically, Uganda’s jurisprudence in public interest litigation has been scattered across legal reports, academic texts, and inaccessible archives.
The new compendium aims to bridge the gap.
“This project consolidates vital legal knowledge in a single, user-friendly volume,” Wall noted. “It’s designed not just for judges, lawyers, and scholars, but also for policymakers, civil society, and any citizen seeking to understand and use the law as a tool for reform and accountability,” she explained.
Anna Reismann, Country Director for Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Uganda and South Sudan, emphasized the constitutional roots of public interest litigation.
“Public interest litigation is itself a product of the 1995 Constitution, which granted ordinary citizens and organizations the right to challenge rights violations and seek constitutional interpretation,” she said.
She noted that the study of these cases goes beyond legal precedent, it tracks the evolution of Uganda’s constitutional culture.
“This compendium reflects Uganda’s legal, political, and social transformation. It underscores how constitutional provisions have come alive in courtrooms, and how those rulings have shaped our society.”
Nabasa said: “Our goal is to move the law beyond courtrooms. We want to ignite public discourse, drive civic education, and empower citizens to participate actively in the democratic process”.
